The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-21

fully and slowly written that 1t is rare
that ne makes single correction. He
mas never become reconciled 20 the use
or plotting paper, and dries the wet ink
on ms manuscript sheets by sprinkling
SAND over them, as did our great-grand-
fathers.
mad heard many strange stories OF the
way IN which lola collects the minute
details which Re invariably uses In de-
scrolng the lives OF the lower classes.
Ihey VIII tell you in the cafes, as they
told me, that 1t Is the novelist's plan 10
actually become a part of the life Of ,nv
class OF which he proposes to write be-
lore ne touches pen to paper concern
ing It.
Absurd" he exclaimed, when I asked
him about Il. ''No man could do that
or course have never lived and worked
with the miners or other folk about whom
1 have written. I have visited the mines.
yes; and questioned all sorts and con-
ditlons of people connected with them
L have talked with miners and with mine
owners; with trammer girls and with rich
women who devote phlanthropic effort
to that unfortunate class. I have gone
down into the mines and looked around
and studied, but never in the guise of
anything except myself. I have ridden
on locomotive, and 1 have visited tene-
ment houses. but / give very little time
to those matters. Two or three days will
generally suffice for the gathering of such
material as / need. 1t would he as SEN
sible to say that could never faithfully
depict female character in my books.
because / have never been woman as
1t would be TO say that I could never
write truthfully OF miners life unless
l had actually handled a pick and
shovel"
why do you not stop NJ. lola" /
inquired, "and take a rest?"
mo, hink shall never do that hava
said TO myself that I would do certain
things, and these things I shall do, SUP
pose. L presume that I shall drop in the
harness Rome has tried me greatly. T
was granted no facilities by the church. T
tried to see the pope, but was refused. No
/ secured no documents which will throw
light on any existing problems II is
more my province TO gather data already
existing and weave II into a picture which
VIII strike the average reader. Rome il a
vast subject. There are many places
which I could not see. I had TO depend
upon the words of persons who had seen
TO get my Information second hand. The
hard work comes often in the condensine
in the shortening into a page whole as
poets OF history. and in doing IL I'm a sort
or hidden way, because / am not writing a
history. but a novel.
"I work three hours a day beginning a.
$50 or 10 in the morning Ny best work ia
done in the first hour. There I differ from
Daudet and Goncourt. / have almost no
recreations. No. do not often play bill
liards. despite the fact that have a bill
lard room. That IS for my friends whom,
receive every day. L ride a bicycle, how
ever. That is for exercise am a great
believer In the healthful influence of the
bicycle. Within fifty years believe that
it will be considered necessity In every
household. All will ride-father, mother.
daughters and sons"
vice you could POSSIBLY give to young
writer's. what would you say, NJ. Zola?' !
asked
He hesitated. Finally he remarked
slowly:
Very little. Only this: Be Yourself
IE4' IS the great point. BE n worker.
Look about you. Observe Write az N,o,,
see and feel irrespective OF everybody else
Avoid traditions and avoid formulate
Nine. Zola Is a sweet-faced lady-voe1ng
er than her husband. She dresses quietly
IN subdued colors. and her face. Ike he
- sorrowful in expression. His prfva+e |
lNe is that OF a most moral man. lie nvf,
IKE bourgeois. When an American once
told him that IL was the Impression there
that In order 10 write his books he must
himself. be a gay ana frivolous French.
man, he held UP his hands in unassunes
horror
what Another wife than my ov,,,r.
INI3UnHFlnn
''It Is incredible.'
His country home is al Medan. a ut,Ie
town on the left bank OF the Seine near
Poissy. There he has what is now a be,u-
tful villa He paid only $3.50 francs for -
originally, but has expended fortune IN
II since Medan IL settlement OF peasants
ard Zola's is the only good house there
he 1ives there for about half OF tho vaar
he - immensely proud OF two fine dn~a
which he keeps al his country place ana
which ne walks with every morning when !
ne - ewing there. Ills study at Medan ia I
splendid room. Is feet high by 81 ~.
iong and 30 feet wide over IL. reached f,v /
q narrow stairway. IS MS splendid Hb-ar,[
Under II is a great port3oo. where he Sc /
FOND OF having his meals served In hue
weather. He IS an epicure and has one OF (
me oest cooks In France. He receives an /
enormous mai, but scarcely writes a let /
TER. IL Is not often that he even takes the I
tros1ole 20 answer the letters of his friends. !
A. his habit is well understood arnonl, /
them, II does small harm An island Ia !