The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-16

p.rhans two wears Then | cOntfiVed I"
reach a point beyond which poverty mas
not troubled me"
LIVES LIKE PRINCE.
Zola lives like prince now. MS man
sion on the Rue de Bruxelle is OF iinpos-
ing size and magnificent furnisninss'
Where Sarah Bernhard has lined her
lower entrance way with skins ana sro'eS-
cues in copper, he has beautiiled ms WIN
wonderful marbles which ne colecteu
during his recent visit to Rome. Even
the office Of the concierge IL fitted up with
fine old prints and copies OF rare Jour
nails. His dining ROOM his billiard room'
his drawing room and his study are mar
wells. The last is, of course, the most
interesting OF all the rooms Tor II j.
there that he does the work Tor which
the world waits with an anxiety which
II youchsafes. perhaps, TO the writings
Of no other living author.
K.rHRoyEp IN HIS STUDY.
zoIa writes seated in what might be
almost called a throne-a chair eiaoo-
ratelv carved and so large that when the
novelist sits in II he seems quite
dwarfed. His table is long, wide ana
massive A fine tapestry covers IL, ana
its elegance is Incredibly neat. Zola
does NOT work amid disorder, as so many
writer's do Even his notes are orderly
and carefully arranged In books. lie
never has occasion to tear up what ne
has written. and has no ~aste-paper
basket in his study. His daily task OF
1900 words is so carefully and slowly
written that IL is rare that he makes a
single correction. He has never become
reconciled TO the use of blotting paier'
and dries the wet ink on his manuscript
sheets by sprinkling sand over them as
did our great-grandfathers.
| had heard many strange stories OF
the way in which lola collects the minute
details which he invariably uses in de-
scribing the lives of the lower classes
They will tell you in the cafes as they
told me, that It is the novelist's plan 10
actually become part of the life OF any
class Of which he proposes to write before
he touches a pen to paper concerning II.
Absurd he exclaimed, when / asked
him about II. mo man could do that
or course have never lived and worked
with the miners or other folk about whom
| have written. | have visited the mines.
yes: and questioned all sorts and condi-
tons OF people connected with them.
have talked with miners and with mine
owners; with trammer girls ard with rich
women who devote philanthropic effort
to that unfortunate class. have gone
down into the mines and lo5ke1 around
and studied, but never In the guise of any
thing except myself. | have ridden on a
locomotive and | have visited tenement
| houses but | give very little time TO
those matters Two or three days VIII
| generally suffice for the gathering Of such
material as | need. 1t would be as sem
! sible to say that | could never faithfully
| depict a female character In my books.
| because / have never been a woman, as II
| tt.t 4 "a
| truthfully of "A miners life unless / had
| actually handled pick and shovel.
why do you not stop NJ. Zola," l In
! CURED. land take a rest?''
mo, | think | shall never do that.
have said to myself that would do GER
tain things and these things | shall do
| | suppose. l presume that / shall droI
in the harness. Rome has tried me
greatly. l was granted no facilities by
the Church. l tried TO see the Pope. but
was refused. No, | secured no documents
which will throw light on any existing
| problems. 1t is more my province %
| gather data already existing and weave
it into a picture which shall strike the
| average reader. Rome Is a vast subject
There are many places which | could
not see. | had TO depend upon the words
of persons who had seen-to get my in
formation second hand. The hard work
comes often in the condensing-in tho
shortening into page whole aspects OF
history, and in doing ii in sort Of hid
den way, because ! am not writing his
tory, but a novel.
HE RIDES BICYCLE.
| Work three hours a day. beginninl
| at $3.50 or 10 in the morning. My best
work is done in the first hour There
differ from Daudet and Goncourt. | have
almost no recreations. No, | do moi
often play billiards, despite the fact thai
l have billiard room. That is for ms
friends whom | receive every day.
ride bicycle. however. That is for ex
ercise. am great believer In the
healthful influence of the bicycle. With
In fifty years believe that it will be con
sidered a necessity in every household
All will ride-father. mother. daughters
and sons
ADVICE TO YOUNG WRITERS.
IF you were to epitomize the best adj
vice you could possibly give to young
writers. what would you say, NJ. ZolaT
/ asked.
He hesitated. Finally he remarked
slowly:
VERY little. Only this: BE yourself
That is the great point. Be Il worker
Look about you. Observe. Write as yot
see and feel, irrespective Of everybod,
else Avoid traditions and avoid for
mulac.'
| HIS HOME LIFE.
Nine. lola is sweet-faced lady
younger than her husband. She dresses
quietly In subbued colors. and her face
like his. is sorrowful In expression. hit
private life is that of a most moral man
He lives like bourgeois. When al
American once told him that II was TIA
Impression there that II order 70 writ
his books he must, himself. be gay an,
frivolous Frenchman. h held up nj
hands in unassumed horror.
What, Another wife thar my own!
he exclaimed with righteous indignation
1T is ilcredible''
His country home is at Medan. litti'
| town on the left bank OF the Seine. nea
Poissy. Tsere he has what is row
beautiful villa. He paid only 5000 franc
for II originally. but has expended a for
tune on 1t since. Mcdan Is settlemen
OF peasants. and Zola's IL the only geo
house there He lives there for about hal
OF tnc year. He Is imrsrsely proul
OF two finc dogs which he keeps at hi
country place. and which he walks wit