The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-07
MY FIRST BOOK.
~ BRBT BARrI.


not one word Of my own composition, trust
that will notbe accused OF trlilnR with para.
dor. or tardlly unbosomlnG myself OF youthful
plagIary. But the fact remains that In priority
OF publication the hrst book for which
became responsible. which probably pro-
yoked more criticism than anything I have
written since. was n small compilation Of Call
fornisn poems inslsted by other hands
A well-known bookseller OF San Francisco
one day handed me a collection Of certain
poems which had already appeared in Pacific
coast magazines and newspapers. with the
request that 1 should. II possible secure
further additions to them. and then make a
selection Of those which 1 considered the
most notable and characteristic. for single
volume to he issued By him. I have reason
to believe that this unfortunate man was
actuated by laudable desire to publish a
pretty Californian book-hls first essay In
publication-and at the same time to foster
Eastern Imagination by an exhibit OF the
Californian literary product; but, looking
back upon his venture. l am inclined to
think that the little volume never contained
anything more POLITICALLY pathetic or touch
inGly imaginative than the gentle conception.
Equally simple and trustful was his selection
OF myself as compiler. II was based some
what. think upon the fact that the artless
Helicon" I boasted y" was Youth :" but I'm az n 0
It was chiefly owing to the circums stance that
had from the outset. with prococlous fore
sight. conflded to him my intention OF not put
ting any OF my own verses In the volume. Pub
fishers are appreclative. and self abnegation
80 sublime. to say nothing OF its security. was
not without Its effect.
We settled TO our work with fatuous self
comrlacency. and no suspicion Of tho trouble
In store for us. or tho storm that was to pres
emily hustle around our devoted heads.
winnowsd tho poems. and he exploited n pre-
liminary announcement in an eager and watt
ing press. and We moved together unwittlngly
to our doom. remember to have been early
struck with the quality OF material coming tn
evidently the result Of some popular msun-
Outstanding OF the announcement found
myself In daily and hourly receipt OF
sore and yellow fragments. originally
torn from some dead and gone news
paper. creased and scanned from long fold
ing in wallet or pocketbook. Need say that
most Of them were Of an emotional or didactio
nature; need I add any criticism OF these
homely souvenirs. often dlsolored by the
morning coffee. the evening tobacco. or
heaven knowsl perhaps blotted by too easy
tearsl Enough that I knew now what had
become OF these original but never recopied
verses which filled the Poets Corner" OF
every country newspaper on tho coast. know
now the genesis OF every dldactic verse that
"coldly furnished forth the marriage table" in
the announcement OF weddings in the
rural press. l knew now who had read
and possibly indited-the dreary hic
facets OF the dead In their mourning col
umns. knew now why certain letters OF
the alphabet had been more tenderly consid-
cred than others. and affectionately addressed.
knew the meaning OF the Lines to Her who
H. A.
they had been understood. The mornings
post buried my table beneath these wlthered
leaves OF posthumous passion. They lay there
like tho pathetic nosegays Of quickly fading
wild flowers. gathered BY school Children. in
consistently abandoned upon roadsides. or as
inconsistently treasured as limp and habby su-
perstltions in their desks. The chill wind from
tho bay blowing in at my window seemed to rus
tie them into sad articulnte appeal. Iremember
that when one OF them was whiskod from tho
window by q stronger gust than usual. and
was attain q circulation It had never known
was ycang then, and. in an exalted sense of
editoria! responsibility which / have since
that the reputation OF some unknown genius
might have thus been swept out and swal-
TSsr e' w sss ohes arising from
this unexpected wealth OF material. There
iosas q Gn the
6ss1tiia biri kHoSS a. the c0'"y caiiSrnis
Diego. lines to the Mariposs" hover
Ss. IN sh lex the VyS, it ,h
drOne tree was as berhymedi as. Rcsalind.
again. by liberal construction Of the pub
SnSR soS nSSsT qS sn E5s Ssfan
few lines stating. casually. that their sender
had found Thorn lying forgotten in his desk, or.
me mhsndS nns 5sat they we're thrown on on
Some OF the names appended to them aston.
ished me. Grave. practical business men, sage
traders. never before suspected of poetry, or
even correct prose were among the contrihu-
inhA bItants OF :hs Pacific coast had been in the
habit at some time OF EXPRESSING themselves
the saSr hs emsR %a
when, in MoptgOnery street one day
serious preliminary conversation. the old gem
tleman finally alluded TO what he was pleased
bilty", laid upon my young s6onIdsrsT In
Tact he vent on patsrnaliy. adding the weight
9I his t9dicHi band to that have
leisure moments on tho bench l have. from
time to time. polished and perfected a certain
now lie said TO have been finished In Califor-
MIA. and thus embraced In the scope OF your
pIOpobou bolcctloH. u 10" 5AIhcIb, bolecteu
by myself. to save you all trouble and Tespon-
sibllity be OF any benefit to you. my dear
young friend. consider them at your service"
In this fashion the contributions had in
to three times the bulk OF the original
collection. and the difficulties q selection were
augmented in proportion. The aditor and
publisher eyed each other aghast Never
thought there were so many q tho blamed
plicity, had your The editor had not
" Couldn't you sort of shake 'em up and con
dense en- you know1 keep their ideas-and
t propsE s4sdit Z bs sh sdi t9syd have
Out that this wOuld, Infringe the rule
Usher thoughtilliy- we'll, couldn't you pare
and sorter sample the others p" The sditoP
thought not. There was clearly nothing to |
do but to make a more rigid selsction-A dim |
cult performance when the material was uni, |
necessary to define here. Among the reIsc-
lions were. OF course the usual plaEiarisms |
from well-knOwn authors i'm posed upon an in |
experienced country press; several admirable |
pieces detected as acrostlcs OF patent med- |
Icines. and certain yelled lihels apd indecen-
ces such as mark the first" publications on |
B Ank walls and fancies OF 1.-THE average youth. |
Still the bulk remained too large. and the |
IN Tadn In All