The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-17

| has always scribbled. Some Of her very first
| work appeared in a Sunday school magazine
| published by Mrs. N. b. c. Sade OF Fall River.
| who was largely instrumental in bringing her
before the public. II advice can be said to work
| that end Miss wilkins had written for a lit
| tic magazine. and when the Boston BUDGET
offered q $50 rrizo for story Mrs. Slade in
| duced Miss wilkins to try for 1t. The story
| that won tho prize. The Shadow Family"
has never been reprinted. Miss wilkins does
not care for it herself. and traces the style OF
| tho story to the influence Of Dickens whom
| she was reading at that time
| Her first successful story among those now
preserved was 1.-Two Old Lovers" 1t was sent
to Lppu'cot's first. and was returned with a
| note from the editor. telling the writer what
the matter was with it: but tho criticism and
advice are unknown to Miss wilkins. because
she could not read the letter. The manuscript
went afterward to tho Century, to tho .4tldntc
and finally to Hdrper's Bazar. where Miss
Booth looked Mt it and laid it aside fancying.
from tho odd childish script. that somo school,
girl was trying her hand. and thinking that it
was probably not worth reading. She did read
It, however and accepted it at once. and in
that publication most Of Miss Wilkins's first
grown up" stories appeared.
Speaking OF Miss Wilkins's quaint penman-
shin, which she pronounces Shocking" she
has discovered recently n very strange thing.
which she has not yet had time to investigate
properly. She always knew that her writing
varied surprisingly. hut had given the matter
no thought until one day she CHANGED to DO
directing letter to the mother OF a young
friend who was with her. Tho daughter
looked over the writer's shoulder. and watched
her write. and then exclaimed. why. that's
mammals handwriting" and when Miss
l. tnlne If cl,r hiatt
was. On observing herself n little she dis
covered that oddly enough. in answering
letters. she instinctively initiated the writing
Of tho person she was addressing.
Her stories are never actual studios from
life. Few Of the people in them have an actual
existence. although. unconsciously OF course.
she has been taking impressions and storing
them up all her life. Her comprehension OF
the people OF whom sho writes is an instinct
inherited perhaps. She says that once she
comprehends character she knows absolutely
what that person would do under any circum-
stances: there is never any doubt in her mind
about it. That explains the realistic strength
Of her dialogue.
The first long story. Jane Field" gave hor
n great deal of trouble. The fear Of disap-
pointing her friends. MANY Of whom did not
think she could write II long and sustained
story. and the difficulty OF handling the char
actcr Of tho young girl. Lois. who is different
from any of hor other characters. made the
task OF finishing tho story more trying than
most OF her writing has been.
accurately Her imagination. which is very
vivid. embcll she's her impressions until they
on" once She has buded Anything H her imagna
ton she never forgets it In "Jane Field" is
Tha is hs ss to W2 tt ss an
Field goes, tho Maxwell house The room In
which the rigid woman sat bolt upright in her
"s PSn at Ia, q bRnIei WWsEster j. there
for almost the first. timn In a story. her .dra-
matte instinct q faculty which she feels an
ahoonts csran ny Of POSSESSING and in tao
Grey. leooman.," which has, had nnbli;
HITiS S $ S$% AM he EpS
learned little Of It since She wr,t, that play,
and probably would not again take SO impos,
this country and she is amlili,,us to ,write.a
work % ON another clay! fs Si
done. and the subject g lass som nra and less
thought is ike everything else she does
New England IN character: and in ,thi, in;
s,ancsa cGonihI study with good doal e
another long story. Although while writing
dialogue comes perfectly natural to her.
description gives her n dcnl II trou lie often.
Mis-. wilkins works syatemntiral at least
intends to do 50. She usually writes 900
words day. Tho ease with which she docs
that varies sometimes it takes but forty
minutes, but thai IS rare. often when she is
finishing o story she writes much more than
1000 words. Sh. is very susceptible to sur
roundings; In some houses sh" cannot write.
though in her own home sh" writes in auy Of
the three rooms she occupies, acrCrdingto her
fancy Tn" main idea OF story Is Invariably
defined clearly IN her mind hnipro she begins
To write, but the details Of its development
never como until p,n and paper meet. Her
subjects are suggested by tho merest hints
in the characters aud acts OF people.
She seems utterly lacking IN that sensation
which Lord Byron sang Of. =" II is sweet to see
ones self in print" for she rarely reads
story once It is In typG, Nor Is she the least
have the French idea OF That. that she could
not Justly present the subject II her emotions
were not passive. She ,arprars TO have, no
and can much easier tell which she dlsikes.
She especially dislikes a symphony In Lay:
ender." and considers The Maid at tho Door
mistake; For ono thing. she. does not think
1t artistic to make an innocent. helpless child
the central figure in O tragedy.