Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-10-07

WOulQ nOG SUOp WF1UlnS at all now:
after this volume there should be a second.
| had even been working on it in my
dreams! Then would come the theater,
that powerful springboard which all at
once sends one into full renown and glory,
up among the stars And novel? Why
should l not also write a novel? / was al
ready dreaming over profound psychology
cal studies, over accurate and thrilling de-
scriptions. My brain was at work and my
head humming with all the ambitious fol-
lies of ones twentieth year. Again and
again read the blessed letter as l tramped
back and forth in my room, radiant and
gesticulating wildly.
'Well, what is the matter, my boy?"
The door stood slightly ajar, and my
grandfather's face appeared in the open
ing; it was a kindly face, calm, rosy and
clean shaver, with strong nose and eyes
shining behind their glasses, and was
framed in we'll combed and carefully
curled wig.
"What is the matter with me, grand
father? Wait, read thisl''
When he had glanced through the let
ter he said: well, what about it? I think
your verses are very pretty!''
''But think, grandfather! 1t is an I'M
expected success! Verses are no longer
read"
"Yours are read. That ought to be
enough for you"
81 should think SOL
''Then you are happy"
eyes, am happy"
'sThat is all that is necessary"
He opened his snuffbox and slowly took
or oil fl<4
smile in his eyes.
Massol Bros.
All the literary world knows this cele-
brated publishing house and has seen its
busy employees, librarians and clerks in
the vast hall lighted from above and lined
with row upon row of carefully classified
volumes in white, yellow and blue bind
ings. Wooden galleries run along the wall,
dividing it into two floors, and books and
papers are continually pulled up or let
down by small pulleys. 1T is kind Of in
tellectual factory of which printed thought
is the never failing product.
With bound / climbed to the first floor,
to the office of the elder Massol, whose
special business it is to receive authors.
| found the office closed, and the sound
of voices came from it; the patron was oc-
cupied. I sat down on a bench awaiting
my turn, and as waited I called to mind
my feelings the first time had come here.
With what beating heart l climbed the
staircase, my manuscript under my arm
And when I entered Massol's Office how !
trembled all over! He received me politely
but coldly, and he had reason to after all.
/, an unknown youth of twenty years, had
brought him what? Verses! commodity
seldom sold by publisher. A romance
still sells-but verses!
However, he had consented to publish
them, on condition of course that 1 paid
the entire expense, and since then | had
experienced all the emotions awakened by
first book. The proofs had come. still
quite damp from the press and full of mis-
takes that drove me to despair, and of
which there seemed to be no end; there
were innumerable grammatical questions
and doubts about punctuation; continually
renewed contests with the printer, whom
7 privately considered an imbecile, and
| who repaid me in the same coin; had the
table of contents to make and the title to
compose in such way as to attract the
purchasers eye, and the color of the bind
| ing to choose; then it was "ready for press"
three little words that sound so small,
but which are everything in reality, since
they send forth the authors thought to
the public, as at the theater the three
strokes of the bell before the curtain rises
announce the piece to the audience; finally,
the new and elegant volumes appeared in
the booksellers windows and en- the boule-
| ward.
b. oQG
opened and X, the academician, came out,
accompanied as far as the door by the
bowling publisher This man was good
client, and they paid him great deal of
attention. Should l ever reach that dis
tinction?
Massol, looking very kind and almost
paternal, motioned me to enter. He begged
me to be seated and said, as he pompously
sat down in his leather armchair:
you received our letter."
Eyes, NJ. Massol"
"A volume of verses sold out in month!
Between you and me, / cannot understand
it at alp
This was not very fattering, but I had
been too much astonished myself not to
excuse his establishment.
"What has happened to your book is
very queer" continued he; ''people buy it,
but no one talks about it. 1t is the first
time ever saw that happen in the book
trade. It is very queer, very queer"
Before we separated it was agreed that
500 new copies of ''The Swallows should
be printed Immediately, SO as not to miss
the sale. In fact, few days after that
saw my dear volume majestically dis
played by the booksellers and ornamented
with that fattering statement, second
edition."
Decidedly | was somebody. Neverthe-
less Massol's remark troubled me little
| No one talked of my book, no one seemed
| to have read it except those to whom
| had sent copies.
after all,'' said to myself, 81 am very
| foolish to torment myself in this way
Since The Swallows sells, some one buys
| sThe Swallows What more can ask
| Besides, the book contains only love verses
| and verses of passion, and it must be WON
en- who buy it. Yes, women"
Intoxicated by this thought, imagined
my blue covered book in the hands of all
the great ladies in the noble faubourg
| who read it in their beds at night and went
! to sleep dreaming about it.
Encouraged by this first success, went
eagerly to work. l wrote my first play
"The GRANDMOTHER, which, as you know
had an opportunity to succeed at the
| Odeon. Then came the ''Victims of Mar
| riage" at the Gymnase, the 1.-TWO Broth
| ers" at the Coincide Franchise, then still
| others. was becoming full fiedged au-
| thor, as we say. Years passed, and
| thought no more of my Swallows" the
! timid and forgotten work of my youth.
1t was at this time that ! experienced