Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-01-28
HOW 4e BECAME 4 STORY WRITER.



Career and Early Efforts.
Richard Malcolm Johnston's sketches Of
rural life In Georgia have been among the
most delightful contributions 70 current
magazine literature. Col. Johnston-for
he bears that title-is tall and elderly bis
hair and mustache being white, but bis
eye Is clear, his manner gracious. aud he Is
the most entertaining talker. his speech
having a rich southern flavor. He was
with James Whitcomb Riley when the re
porter came Upon him at the Denison
House, and that gentleman kindly gave his
assistance to draw the colonel out.
STORY writing" said the colonel, us the
last thing for me In literature, and came
20 it in n way altogether accidental. had
published two or three volumes on English
literature, and In conjunction with
friend had written the life OF Alexander
Stephens and also a book on American and
European literature, but had no idea OF
story writing for money. Two or three
stories OF mine found their way into papers
before left Georgia"
"when was Abraham Bilhngslea' writ
,ent" inquired Mr. Riley.
"Oh, that is recent-ouly three years ago
went To Baltimore In 1861. had been
professor of English literature in Georgia,
but during the war took school of forty
1 boys to Baltimore. There was at Btlti-
more In 1870 periodical called The South
ern Magazine The first nine of my Duke
borough Tales were contributed TO that
magazine. These fell into the hands Of
the editor OF Harper's, who asked me what
got for them. ! said, Not u cent, ana
he wanted To know why ! had not sent
them TO him. 'Neelus Peeler's Conditions
was the first story for which got pay. 1t
WAS published In The Century over the
signature OF philemon Perch
"Dr. Holland told Mr.. Glider To tell that
man to write under his own name, adding
that he himself had made "a mistake ia
writing under pseudonym. Sidney Lanier
urged me 10 write, and said that II would
do NO he would ret the matter ia PRINT Tor
inc So he took 'Neelus Prelcr's Condi-
tions and il brought me $50 ! think he
was more greatly rejoiced over the money
than I was and I'm not a man to turn my
back on SssO twas at first really surprised
that my stories were considered OF any
value, either In literary or pecuniary
, way. am "a little surprised yet. ! with
drew from teaching about six years ago,
and since that time have devoted myself TO
authorship
II have never put word in my books"
! continued Col Johnston, that have not
! heard the people use, and very few that
, have not used myself Powelton, Ga, Is
! my Dukeborough. ! was born fourteen
/ miles from there, and the road leading
= down to that place was rough one. The
! first OF the peterborough Tale.' was the
| 'Goosetown School OF the female char
I acters that have created, Miss Doolana
Y Lanes Is my favorte, while Mr.. Bill Will
: Jams is my fayoritc among the male char
+ acters. started Doolana to make her
Q mean and stingy like her father, but
hadn't written page before she wrenched
a herself out OF my hands. She said To me,
a i am woman, and you shall not make
:, me mean and then she asst male herself.
o and sue was like her mother.
J. These stories are all of Georgia rs il
3 was before the war. In the hill country
Is the institution Of slavery was very differ
{ ent from what IL was in the rice region or
o near the coast Do you know the Georgia
+ negro has five times the sense Of the South
Carolina negrof Whyi Because he has
q always been near hes master; their rela'
), tions are closer. Ny fathers negroes loved
B. him and he loved them, and INA Negro
o child died upon the place my mother wept
5, for it.
!, "Snme time ago went 20 the old place
and an old negro came eight miles-walkt,t
10 ali the wny-to sec me, He got TO til,
Is house before O'Clock in the morning, ant
n opened the shutters while | was asleep
a With d cry he rushed into the room, ON
5 Massa Dick! We cried in eacn otheFi
N arms. We had been boys together. Ont
of my slaves is now a bishop Bishop Lu
cius Holsey. Heisone OF the most eloqaen
y men In Georgia and lives in Augusta
e Indianapolis News.