Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-04
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.
1.-THE readers employed by publishing
houses to read the manuscripts of novels
and stories, submitted by authors, have
pretty unenviable time of it," said Walter
Lynch of Philadelphia at the Normandie
Saturday evening. In New York and Dos-
ton. as well as my own city, great deal
Of this work is done by men regularly
employed On daily and other papers, who
have superior literary tastes and good
judgment l know dozen industrious
newspaper men, right in the harness, who
read for publishers during odd hours and
add considerably to their incomes. Pub
fishers prefer such men to pass upon the
offerings of authors, because they are ia
milar with the prevailing taste of the pub
lie in literary matters. Hundreds upon
hundreds of really superior stories are re-
fused every month by the men who make
business of making books. simply because
the people who buy from them don't affect
the style Of their creation. or course. l
am speaking OF the work Of writers who
are yet unknown. When fame comes to
an author his name is sufficient guarantee
of the financial success of any book he
| may put out, regardless of it's real merit.
and that is what modern publishers are
after So the readers / speak of must have
a perfect knowledge of what Will SELL and
choose manuscripts with that idea more in
view, than the style of the author, the
his plot or the dramatic vigor of its situa-
tons Today the tendency of the public
seems to be IN the direction of the ana
lytical writer; ona who draws his characters
finely and then dissects them with a scalp
ell in order to show what peculiar mech
anism of mind or matter caused them to do
this, that, or the other. Eroticism is IA
vo.ed also, but the simple sweet Senu-
mental story with its shadows of heart
disappointment is not marketable. But
writer's of the pure romance should not
tear up or burn the manuscript that IS re-
turned to them by callous publishers
There is q well founded impression abroad
in literary circles that the public is pall1ng
with the present style Of novel and story
and will soon return to be refreshed and
reinvigorated with the good and the true
and the beautiful
eft seems to me that every woman in
Washington is crazy to possess a palm,
said a well-known western member OF
Congress at the Arlington, yesterday.
| ST mean the growing nodding palm that
thrives in this latitude in a big tub. and
is taken indoors when winter comes and
put out to barricade the entrance TO the
house when 1t gets warm again. ana
every one of the women appears to think
member of Congress owns palm grove
as big as a section of Florida. 1 know l
have had twenty requests from almost
Irresistible lips for palms; EVERY one OF
| them assured me that all I would have to
| do would be to write an order to Mr.. smith
| at the Botanical gardens and any number
| of palms would be at my disposal. l fell
! at the fire of the first temptress. l wrote
| to Smith. Smith was mighty sorry in his
reply but the fact was he only kept one
| plant of each variety of palm on hand IN
| his neck of the government woods, ana 10
| break the collection would be something
dreadful Then an older sinner in CON
eressional life, whom 1 approached on the
| subject, gave me pointer
| "'Blank old man. he said solemnly,
l 1V,,h 11nf ORC
| as quarry for their game. Send EN- DO
kays-he called 'em bokays-and all the
| seed Morton will let you have; but draw
| the line at palm trees nice woman
| asked me to get her one once. didn't
| want to bother about getting 1t officially,
| so bought one at green house and had
| it sent up in a government wagon. Derned
| If didn't have to spend all my mileage
| doing the same thing for twenty-three
| other nice women to whom the first had
| Dragged of her luck with me. So draw the
| line at palms.
Il reckon that advice has saved me hum
| dreds of hours of sleep" continued the
| speaker; but I am still compelled every
| day or two to get out of the predicament
| ing at her desire for palm. What about
| the men? Oh, the men here don't ask for
palms. There'd be some congressional muir
ders if they did
| cit is surprising what a number of the
old soldiers who receive pensions for dis
abilities received in the service devote the
money paid them by the government to
| carrying insurance policies on their lives"
said Charles E. St. John, an official of a
| northern life insurance company, at the
t,bbitt yesterday 1.-The custom began to
grow along in the latter seventies, and for
| several years up to 1888 hundreds Of PEN
| siorers were admitted to our company
alone, and as many patroniZed the others.
| The age Of the old soldiers of today is all,
| in my opinion, that prevents many more Of
| them from doing the same thing. The pen
| soners figure out what amount of policy
they can carry for premium representing
| the sum they receive each quarter from the
government, and apply for it accordingly.
| In many instances that came to my per-
sonal knowledge they pay their dues by
| indorsing their pension checks over to our
agents. We carry policies whose payments
are met in this way for three or four men
who receive substantial remuneration for
! the loss of a leg or arm. OF course, COM
! panies that do not take risks on MANNED in
| dividuals have none Of this business, but
other concerns find it profitable"
| Subtle but Costly Vengeance.
| From the Chicago Record.
| Mrs. Nayborly-"What on earth are you
| going to invite that odious Mrs. Smithlins
| T thouQht