The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-11-08

brONhe u one JI the Oldest and most &C
romplished and versatile writer's in this
country. There is not publication OF any
prominence in the United States that he
has not at some time written for. There
- nothing hardly, from the most scholarly
and thoughtful essay 10 a story or poem,
that they have not printed and paid him
for some Of his manuscripts have brought
the highest current prices. Not long ago a
well known magazine paid him 800 for
., 500 words. lie is, in fact, one OF tho
few American men Of letters that can
make his pen bring him a livelihood with
out the important and often Indispensable
aid Of a regular salary
Ills Real Earnins--
Mr.. Browne has been rcputed to earn
fabulous sums. He invariably brands all
stories Of this kind about him a. pure fic-
ton lie likewise puts "A similar brand
upon such stories about the fabulous in
comes Of other writers Il know from
personal experience how they originate "
Ec once told me. Il saw n paragraph
written by friend Of mine saying that my
income was $50, 900 "a year. The next time
saw him / asked how nc happened TO
know 30 much more than / did. No mys-
terry Ec replied. You told me the other
day that you earned so much last week
j multiplied that sum by 81 and got 500
600. Do you sec how simple It's: / saw,
Of course, how simple his calculation was,
but knowing, "a / did, that my income
did not average more than One-fourth of
$4,000 saw, too, how inaccurate were
the data on which he based his calcula-
ton. And To earn even this beggarly sum
had to work very hard and steal many
hours from rest and Sleep
Although Mr.. Browne has been a jour
nalist for more than 80 years, nc has had
no regular connection with any newspa-
per since the war, so whatever money be
it much or little, his pen has put into his
purse has been the fruits of fugitive writ
ing. Happily, however, heaven has blessed
him with an income independent of this
precarious source, and he is thus enabled
to enjoy life in n manner that is denied
the great majority of men in his profcs-
sion. He has beautiful apartments on
Fifty-seventh street. Surrounded by books
and pictures, he possesses a source of in
epiration and comfort not vouchsafed the
ordinary recipient of Grub street mercies
There he receives his friends with a royal
cUrdiIlity and entCrtains them with the
"reminiscences OF n rich, varied and active
life.
Running the Blockade.
During the war Mr.. Browne was one OF
the field correspondents of The Tribune.
He was a young man then, not more than
% or "a, aud his courage and ambition
made him invaluable 10 his paper. But
these very qualities soon deprived The
Tribune OF his services. When IL was pro-
posed to run the blockade at Nicksburg in
the early summer Of 1868 and volunteers
for the expedition were called for, he was
one of the first To step forward. Among
the other men that offered 10 accompany
tine expedition, - he said, relating To me
the story Of this adventure, were my
friends Albert ID. Richardson, another
correspondent of The Tribune, and Richard
Il. Colburn, the correspondent of The
World Besides the men the expedition
consisted OF n tug and two barges. Bales
of hay had been piled up along the sides
Of the barges To protect the men from the
shot and shell OF the Vicksburg batteries.
Indispensable rs they appeared, they were
in reality the cause of bringing the expe-
dition to grief. The bright full moon that
swung in midheaven the night of the ex-
petition was also against the success of
the undertaking. Nevertheless we were
determined TO run by the batteries ut ali
hazards.
LAS soon rs the expedition got within
range the terrific booming of the cannon
began. Shot and shell came thick and
fast, striking the bay and water or explod-
ing in the air, but unite rrified and I'M
harmed the expedition moved on. 1t was
nearly out of range when the disaster that
] had feared took place. a shell dropped
into the tug as though directed from
hand above and exploded with terrific
force The bales of hay, which 1 thought
unsafe and had warned the commander
against caught fire and disabled the OK
petition. For time we remained on the
barges tumbling the bales into the water
and assisting the wounded TO get on them.
Finally the fire became so hot that and
4 few others who were the last TO leave tho
barges were driven into the water. We
hoped by swimming TO reach the Louisiana
shore and then return to the army at the
point from which we had started.
a PeriIous Situation.
'.Our hopes were not realized, however.
The bright moon and the flames of the
burning hay made the river as light Us
day The chance of escape from any boats
that might put out from shore was there
fore exceedingly small. While we were
floating in the water, thinking that this
chance was bigger than it would have APP
peared to an observer that would see what
tie Confcderates were doing, we heard the
splash of oars. We let our bodies sink in
the water, leaving only our noses above
the surface but it was Of no use. The
moon and burning bargcs enabled the
Confederates to find us, and before we
could realize il l saw the Prov OF n boat
almost on me. Standing IN meIodra-
matte attitude in front of the boat was an
officer, who shouted, with an oath, We do
get hold of Yankees sometimes!
We were dragged into the boats and taken
20 prison. Richardson and 1 spent the
next two years in confinement. Finally,
after being inside of six prisons, we es-
capped at Salisbury. y. C., and re2ained
the Union lines in Tennessee, travelling III
midwintCr q distance of more than 400
miles and relying on the friendly negroes
that we met along the route for food 10
keep Us from starving - death
y Manuscript Maker.
Curiously enough, Mr.. Browne does not
regard himself rs literary man-Only a
manuscript maker. Great as has been his
Success a. = writer. easily rs he turns of
story or an essay, ne has 10 love for the
profrsSion. While il las brought him q
good deal Of money. lie docs not find is