The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-25
LITERARY CEMETERY.
rogc0TTFN mirrors DURTED on
H0Oh-NTORE SHELJ'ES.
=. ). Edwards Uncmths Somo Dust-Cov-
cred Volumes That Were Once
Extremely Popular.

Nv YorK. Nov. Is. In one OF the
,.~..t.- secondhand book stores in New
N...., ..v. an establishment which has on
;,. ....tr. ..wc..W c, as many ass - 600
,..t.. ono ..aftmcD, is parddoned of for
,,I..,... h...llcl tlc forgotten heroes OF
ltc-.t..r. here cau bo found 10 Wei worn
cover. some of Che novels over which hc-
tion l9-ers of generation ago and more
li,gored with as much enthusiasm and de-
Ieht as age bestowed upon any ho'e4S Oh
tie present day. .....,
Tie writer. looking 30 this literary cc'ne,
tcrv. as 10 might bee called, was reminoeo
o. some authors OF whom, when their
books appeared, tie promise oil SIeaO
achievement. seemed 10 be- justified. IN
one corner two or three volumes bearing
the title "Amoug the Pines were seen.
The books had evidently been READ ana
reread. and tho proprietor SAID tnai oaca-
sionalv customer would call Tor l"''
once famous book. When it appeared IN
tho DAYS Of the civil war 10 caused q genu-
ine literary sensation. Under the nom &c
nlumo ~ Edmund Kirkc Mr.. Gilmore had
written something which in even those eX-
cit;r, DAVIS was talked about almost as
much as battles
Tod,v Mr. Gilmore IS hardworking
editor associated with "a monthly maya
zine Iihcs0 many others who have made
literary hits with their first works, be did
not maintain the reputation which that
book obtained iu his subsequent works.
Mr. Gilmore tried real estate, the banking
business. and has no last settled down
into a very competent bat Of course TO the
public obscure editor.
On another shelf two copies Of a novel
entitled "Miss Ravcnels Conversion" were
offered for sale OF this book 50 great a
critic as w. ID. Howeils had said words Of
high praise, and It's author, Major De For
est, 10 was believed, bad in him the capacity
10 produce work OF fiction which would
gain as great popularityas anything any
American author has written. Major De
Forest and his book, however, arc now for
gotten lie is--or was a short time ago
getting such enjoyment out OF travel as is
possible, believing that the time has passed
when an American writer can maintain
himself with works Of fiction.
On another shelf were quite number of
novels, all by the same author, A. S. Roe
That name 20 the present generation sug-
gests no more than any name selected at
baphazard out Of q city directory might
mean. Yet just before the civil war Mr.
Roe was one Of the most popularo Of Ameri-
can authors. He wrote eight or ten novels,
notvery profound, highly moral and proper
in their tendency and always containing IA
delightful love story His books sold al
most as well as did those of the late Rev.
j. T. Roe, who was no relative Of the ear
ler writer Of that name Evidences were
seen that L. T. Roe, some Of whose books
s dozen years ago sold more than 100000
copies, is almost forgotten. On the shelves
Of this book store were many of,his works,
and the demand for them now is very slight.
Two OF three somewhat battered books,
each bearing the name Fashion and Fam
ine," were seen in this collection Of forgot
ten authors and every now and then some
one goes to that store asking for this work
1t was written by Mrs. Ann S. Stephens
who was quite as well known in her day as
Mrs. Cruger or Miss Wilkins is today.
"Fashion and Famine" was an event in the
publishing world when 10 came out and
some of those who are elderly matrous now
speak with delight Of their rccoilections Of
On one shelf were n number Of the sec
ondhand books which had remarkable I
popularity Just before the war period. /
They were the Rollo and Tranconia stories
Of Jacob Abbott. He was by long odds the /
most popular writer for the young, and /
men who are now beginning to turn gray, |
many Of whom have achieved prominence |
and won successes, remember with what |
delight they read these Rollo stories az .
they came quite rapidly from the press.
Mr. Abbott and his brother, John s. c.
Abbott, whose Life Of Napoleon" was
popular book, were among the few men
8ho were able 10 make comfortable in
come and 70 gain something of fortune by
literary work generation ago.
In one Of the congress districts in New
York state gentleman named Beadle WAS
"a candidate for denomination Of his party
for congress this 1al This Mr. Beadle
lived ln COoperstOWn, and is "a man Of con-
siderable wealth lie made his fortune in
Che publication of cheap weekly issue Of
Il novel, and while Beadle, the politician,
may be known 10 very few of those who
take an interest in public affairs, Beadle's
dime novels are known by name at least TO
almost every person who reads. IL was
The fashion TO speak slightingly of these
novels, and yet Mark Twain has said that
some Of them were stories worthy Of a
masters pen.
Mr. Beadle's name suggests that of
writer who perhaps earned more with the
pen OF adyenturesome fiction than any
other writer, English or American Mr..
beaa.e used TO publish good many Of the
stories Of the late l.. T.. c. Judson, whose
earnings at times were as much as $40, COCA
Year. A few OF Judsons stories are now
@ be found In the secondhand book stores,
VI of them written over the nom de plume
# Ned Buntline. He is almost forgot
en- now. He was a remarkable genius,
'ho il he had been willing TO submit to
discipline, and had recognized some of the
ecessary rules Of artistic work manship,
night possibly have taken rank among
american authors almost equal to that
'hich Alexandra Dumas gained as d writ
r Of the highest and best Sort Of sensa-
.onal stories. AS it was, JudsOns stories
al almost as wide a popularity as Du-
las', although they never gained for him !
he respect Of the critics, Us Dumas sue
eeded in securing. l.. j. EDWARDS. ,
r
Linneus and His Love for Flowers.
II