Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-06
THE DISCOVERER OF ZENDA
Anthony Hope Tells How He Comes to Be a
Novelist
LIFE WORK ON METHODlCAL LINES
A Romantic story Teller Who Pur-
sues His Craft with as Much
System ns u Bank Clerk
His Love of sports.

Copyright 1895, by s. S. Mcclure. Lmited.)
The street in which is situated the house
where Anthony Hopes literary labors are
pursued is one of the dulest in London.
This is Buckingham street, Strand, and from
Hopes window one looks out on dismal brick
houses, veiled for the most part in a dull
and dsspiriting mist. Yet it is from his
room in this very street that Anthony Hope
sends forth those works which for their
verve and brilliance shows him to us as a
kind Of St. George Of the pen triumphing
over the dragon of British tedium.
He Is a quiet man Of gentle manners, un-
pretending, courteous, an English gentleman
in one word with soft voice which drops at
the end of each sentence as though apologize
Ing for the expression Of some opinion which
the person to whom he Is speaking might
contest. His workroom is furnished after
the fashion of the study Of an Oxford under
graduate, with large bookcase filled with
prize books, and in corner by the fireplace
is a large writing table Of the American
fashion, in some disorder with papers, proofs
and the general litter of the writer's craft.
II am afraid" said Anthony Hope, that
my life has been most commonplace one,
and ! do not remember single adventure
which has come into 1t at any time"
He was born in Hackney in 1868. Mine
was a humdrum childhood lived in Hack
ney till was years old. l can remember
no incidents of my life there. l read great
DEAL but none of the books | read made any
particular impression upon me. l was late
reader, but when l did know how to read
1t was my favorite occupation. Stay l now
remember that l was greatly impressed by
THE Pilgrims Progress l used to take 1t
up to bed with me and fall asleep to dream
OF Apolyon."
LIKED STORIES AND FOOT BALL.
When Anthony Hope Hawkins, this being
the full name of the writer known as An
thony Hope, was years old, his father
moved to Leatherhead, where he took over a
school for boys, an establishment known as
ST. Johns school and intended exclusively
for the sons Of clergymen, II attended my
fathers school as day boy. My father
was a clergyman, so that l was admissible
also TO st. Johns school. At that time /
was a great reader of Ballantyne, and perhaps
my favorite book was The Three Middes.'
i had the usual number Of fights with my
schoolmates, but l assure you there was
nothing Homerlc about them l had no am
billions, / never once wished to run away to
sea. / had no thoughts Of becoming a pirate
or highwayman or anything Of the sort.
I Just wanted to live my life quietly In a
decorous way and to enjoy myself as much
as possible whilst working at my lessons as
satisfactorily as could But as boy got
quite passion for foot ball, game OF which
i have ever since been very fond. At the
age OF 13 won a scholarship to Marlborough
college"
He had no idea OF writing and no taste for
literary work at this time In his life.
ANTHONY HOPE AT OXFORD.
81 remained five years at the school and
during the last two years Of my life there
was a member OF the college fifteen.
passed from Marlborough to Balliol college In
Oxford with an exhibition and the year after
won Balliol scholarship. That was in 1881.
i enjoyed by varsity life immensely, and
look back on rooms In Balliol as the place
where perhaps my happest hours were spent.
I worked for my examinations and l played
games but never wrote. i did not even
write poetry. l do not think that | ever
wrote a verse OF poetry in my life. with the
solitary exception OF a valentine, Indeed, |
rarely read poetry. 1t seems IA me that one