Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-24
AN EXPENSIVE BOOK.
RosslTER JOHNSON PREPARING A
DECIDEDLY UNIQUE VOLUME.
II Will Be Written by Members OF the
Authors Club, and Each Copy Will Cost
One Hundred Dollars--something About

Authors Club, and Each Copy Will Cost
One Hundred Dollars--Something About
the Contributors.
Especial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, Dec. 5.-Mr. Rossiter John
son, who is secretary of the Authors club,
of New York, is preparing one of the most
expensive books which have been offered for
sale in long time. 1t is to cost not less
than 500, and the price may be raised after
the first 100 copies have been sold. It will
be when published the most exclusively
circulated book recently printed, except
ing perhaps that one prepared by Dr. Sew
ard Webb, which gives some statement OF
the growth and history of the Sons of the
Revolution society. Only 251 copies of this
book are to be published, and every article
in every copy is to be signed in pen and ink
by the author.
In addition to this unique feature, the
J original manuscripts of all the articles
printed in the book are now being inlaid,
and will be bound into two or more large
volumes, which are to be sold in one lot at
auction to the highest bidder.
| OF course this interesting and unusual
book is published more for the benefit OF
| the Authors club than to gain any popular
recognition. The price itself is prohibitive,
! although there is little doubt that every
COPY will be taken, some by rich members
of the club and some by bibliophiles.
But if the public is not likely to see the
book it will be interesting to know who
some of the contributors are. Every one
of them is a member of this clinic and
wholly unconventional club, the chief
qualification for membership of which is
that the candidate must have written a
book. Henry NJ. Alden, the editor of
Harper's Magazine, and who has himself
gained fame through his book, "God in
| His World" contributes sketch entitled
"Flammentia Moenia Mundi." Professor
Boyesen has written a narrative poem en-
titled "The Kings Bastard" Alexander
Black, who wrote the charming narration,
1.-The Story of Ohio" has a humorous
story entitled "The Lost Pun" Will
| Carleton has a ballad entitled 1.-The Ghost
of Sable Island" and Andrew Carnegie,
who is qualified for admission to the Mil
lionaires' club, and who as an author is a
member of the Authors club, will have a
study from Burns a poet of whom he is
very fond.
Mark Twain, who when in New York
city loves to go to the Authors club and
smoke his pipe and drink his jorum of
half and half, has contributed a skit upon
'The Baneful Effects of Ridicule." Mon
cure Conway has written a pleasant sketch,
while Edward EgSleston, who is most at
| home when he is with his fellow authors
at this club, has written a Virginia story en-
titled "In Defense of the Dead" Henry r.
Elliott, who wrote 1.-THE Bassett Claim"
which suggested Mr.. Cranes very success
| full play, "The Senator" has sketch called
| 'After Business Hours" Arthur Sher
burne Hardy, whose novel, But Yet
| Woman" was one of the most pronounced
successes of fiction in recent years, has
sent poem called Duality" John Hay
has also poem in this collection entitled
''Euthanasia"
| One of the most interesting papers is con-
| tributed by the foremost of American play
wrights, Bronson Howard, who tells Of
History in Play" George Parsons
Lathrop, the son-in-law of Nathaniel Haw-
thone and one of the best pipe smokers of
the club, has delightful short story called
ELSEWHERE" and Professor Brander Mat
thews, who has been writing some excel
lent stories of late, has a humorous essay
entitled "The TRANSMISSION of Indiges-
tion.'
Bill Nye has contributed what many of
the members regard as his funniest sketch.
1t is called ''The Lex Loci of the Hired
Girl" Theodore Roosevelt, who is gain
ing almost as much fame as a writer of
sketches of adventure in the far west as he
has earned as politician and public man,
has contributed an exciting story called
"a Shot at a Bull Elk" Edmund Clar-
ence Stedman has written meditative
poem which is called Fin dc Steele" and
Frank Stockton has a delightful sketch
entitled 'Pomona's Club" Charles Dud-
ley Warner has a characteristic essay on
Literature in Dress Suit" and sketches
have been promised by Felix Adler, Will
liam D. Howells, Seth Low and Richard
Henry Stoddard This list is not COM
plete one by any means.
There will be more than 100 stories,
sketches, essays and poems, all of them
written by men who have gained fame
greater or less as writer's. II is noticeable
that the name of no woman author appears
in the list, but this is due entirely to the
fact that the Authors club does not re-
ceive as members women, no matter how
brilliant they may be with their pens. The
entertainments which prevail at the Au-
thors' club, while they are wholesome and
delightful are not of the sort which women
would find congenial, or where their pres
| euCc WOulu D6 WelCOIueu. lQ6 members
of the club smoke pipes-many of them
clay pipes-and if they drink anything at
all they exchange condolences and tell of
their dreams over mugs of ale or beer.
1t has been said that something of jeal-
ousy is apt to characterize the relations of
authors with one another, and that a
writer who has gained fame above his fell
lows is common target for shafts of envy,
but if any such feeling exists in the Au-
thors' club of New York it is most skill
fully concealed At the formal gatherings
and when the members meet informally in
the clubroom there is a hearty comrade-
ship and personal interest in each others
welfare which makes the atmosphere of
the place delightful.
Not all the members of the club have
contributed to this remarkable book, but
every one was asked to contribute, al
though some were obliged to decline for
entirely satisfactory reasons.
| T