The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-15

real man; but there are no portraits.
And there is only this one character that
was even suggested. unless you choose 10
call Kurt Lieders' suggested. The others
have many models: they were meant to
represent the type, not the individual"
DO you often draw from real life?"
81 must answer you in the 'Pinafore'
captains phrase, 'Never-at least hardly
everr 1 have a notion that it is taking
mean advantage of an individual TO pho
tograph him without his consent. OF
course, that has not prevented me from
being abused for having done the very
thing that / would not but it has given
me an easy conscience under punishment.
II remember two instances in which |
was, quite without cause, supposed to
have drawn characters from real life; they
are the only ones that have impressed me
very much. They did impress me. One
was the cause of a story l wrote for Scrib-
ner's Magazne-it was afterwards repub
lished In Otto the knight'-called The
Day OF the Cyclone II described the
town OF Crinnell incidentally. l went 10
Grinnell in order 10 get the scene correct:
but / have never had the pleasure OF
meeting any of the citizens of Grinnell
except the hack driver who showed me
the place and the hotel clerk TO whom I
paid my bill. Nevertheless several Iowa
newspapers reproached me for my bad
taste in making portraits of real people
and caricaturlng real pecularities. OF
course, made no reply. but was sorry;
because / am fond of Iowa and of Iowa
people. and don't relish being held up as
a breaker Of the gods of hospitality, when
I haven't Clipped them even.
"The other incident has always given
me pleasure. Years and years ago--in fact
the story was the second one that pub
lished I wrote a story about a poor Bos-
ton girl whose main comfort and insplra-
ton, in q sordidly wretched life, was the
sermon that she heard every week in
Trinity church. One of the Congregation
was the name of the story; I believe you
read It. This one of the congregation was
not an orthodox Christian, nor did she
ever become one. but It was the precious
gift of that greatest Of preachers "a help
10 holier living even where he did not
help 10 faith In his own creed: he was the
apostle 10 the heather, and my poor Ma
thildes whole life was lifted and sweeten-
ed by his words and her belief in him. At
the end she is obliged TO leave Boston, and
goes to Trinity for the last time, with
that irrational and hcartsick hoping for
some comfort, some illumination on her
dark future-suCh as women VIII have,
YOU know, being women. At least she
viii hear him once more! II was per-
fecly impersonal feeling; he was the
a
sequel-he didn't preach. The clergy man
who did preach was a purely imaginary
young man. Ike fifty Episcopal rectors Of
excellent intentions that have met; and
Mathilde goes out and fights her battle in
tho public gardens and comes off a pretty
battered up conqueror.
But though the young clergyman was
so purely q fiction he was promptly identi-
fed: and DR. Brooks. himself. said: She
beF =
ened 20 the sermon instead Of strolling
about the public garden, for It was very
good one"
Then returning TO the stories Of a
Western Town" she added: by the way
I hope YOU found one thing In the stories,
If YOU found nothing else-the atmos-
phere OF hope. For / think we do have L.
And. perhaps. because We are such hope
ful lot. think there is a kindlier feeling
between employers and working people
than exists in some parts Of the country
soma years ago Octave Thanet pub
lished a story entitled. 1.-THE Dilemma Of
Sir Guy. tho Neuter" The scene was
laid IN England. az the time when the
PrcteStarts We're most ferCely prosecuted.
Sir Guy IS \ Young man, without decided
opinions about theology or religion. lie
IS ordered % escort, under guard, across
un-Nerrie England 20 trial ard certain
martyr1oyn. the one man whom - rover
e0ces and whom h has the strongest per-
sonal reasons CONNECTED with the woman
he loves 70 want - save Moreover, he
knows that Il he refuses 70 do this or Y
he shah connivc al the escape or his
prisoner, he VIII bring ruin, perhaps
death ON another old man. Ms uncle 10
whom Re IS bound by ties Of gratitude as
we'll as blood. Recalling an element Of
subtle fascination which had always felt
IN this history. asked he author what
she thought herself % GUYS dilemma.