Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-28
THE FIRST EDITION.

my DEAR SIR:-We have the pleasure of
announcing to you that it is desirable to re-
Issue your volume, The Swallows, the first
edition being entirely out of print.
will you be so kind as to stop in and see
US, that we may make arrangements With
you about it?
Accept. ETC., etc,
"MAssoL BRos..
publishers"
"When l received that letter /
thought l should die of joy and as
constituent, even more of astonish-
fnent than of joy" said the celebrated
dramatist, Henry Didier the other
day, as he showed us the letter; then,
. noticing our interest, he gave us the
: whole history of the affair, as follows:
The first addition of ''The Swal-
lows" my first book, and a volume Of
verses. out of print. and l, scarcely
twenty years old, knew no one in
Paris; no editorial had been written
about it, nothing had appeared con-
corning it, except some paid notices
on the fourth page of the journals.
And how long had this unhoped-for
and improbable event been in coming
to pass? Just one month.
This was success then, true success?
So had talent? / was beginning
to be appreciated by those contem-
poraries whom had slandered up to
! this time, accusing them of disliking
all poetry, and considering them I'M
cultivated in their tastes?
l would not stop writing at all
now; after this volume there should
be a second-I had even been work
Ing on it in my dreams. Then
would come the theater. that power
full spring board which, all at once,
sends one into full renOwn and glory,
up among the stars. And novel?
Why should | not also write novel?
was always dreaming over profound
psychological studies, over accurate
and thrilling descriptions. Ny brain
was at work; and my head humming
with all the ambitious follies Of ones
twentieth year. Again and again /
read the blessed letter, as | tramped
back and forth in my room, radiant
and gesticulatng wildly.
swell, what's the matter, my boy?"
The door stood slightly ajar, and my
grandtather's face appeared in the
opening; it was kindly face, calm,
rosy and clean-shaven, with a strong
nose, and eyes shining beh. nd their
glasses, and was framed j. a well
combed and carefully -curled wig.
J "What is the matter with me,
grandfather? Wait, read this"
When he had glanced through the
letter, he said: "Well, what about
it? think your verses are very
pretty"
"But think, grandfather! 1t is an
unexpected success, Verses are no
longer read!n
"Yours are read. That ought to
be enough for you"
II should think So"
"Then you are happy"
"Yes, / am happy"
"That is all that is necessary"
He opened his snuff box and slowly
took a pinch, looking at me all the
time with smile in his eyes.
A quarter Of an hour later | was
with Massol Brothers.
All the literary world knows this
celebrated 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 bindings.
Wooden galleries run along the wall.
oiVlding it into two floors, and books
and papers are continually pulled up
or let down by small pulleys. 1t Is a
Kind OF intellectual factory Of which
printed thought is the neyer-failing
product.
with a bound | climbed to the first
floor, to the Office OF the elder MassoI
whose special business is to receive
authors.
| found the ofiice closed, and the
sound Of voices came from it: the pa.
tron was occupied. sat down on
bench, awaiting my turn and, as
waited, called to mind my feelings
the first time had come here With
what beating heart | climbed the
staircase, my manuscript under my
arm. And when | entered Massors
office, how ! trembled all over. He
received me politely but coldly. and
he had reason 10, after all I. an
unknown youth OF twenty years, had
brought him what? Verses a COM
modify seldom sold hy publisher A
romance stan sells but verses
However, be had consented O. pub
llah them, ON condition. uf course.
that paid the entire expense. and
sluca then had experienced an ihe
emotions awakened hy art book
Iha proofs hli come sflllaulle damn
fom tho press and mll 81 mhakrt
thlt lintn mn tn despair. anil uf
which NhVv meI tl + ~ .u.l
th.o w'fa .nnNmnmAE sfamm4f.etl
questions Nni iNuhl amHl fHe luf
tHH rHINHlF Ue.
v|tn iNH WIHNr HHH + aHl.I.
uHfI0"I HH mHU h.f
hh.nH HNI.N U mla HI ..s
HI# .HH
ai|a.I I.. $3.50