The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-29

he served until about three years ago
Wnen he gave up active editorial vory
and devoted himself wholly to writing
But even while he was an editor h,
wrote several stories; and he also alb
sented himself from his editorial chat,
to take trips of several months each
which resulted in his first book OF
travel sketches. THE West from a Car
window" Our English Cousins" and
others.
Last year Mr.. Davis published his
nrst long story. THE Princess Aline. -
IL mad grace, charm and movement,
put ike so much Of the writer's work,
II was weakened by its lapses from
truth, being a striving for effort. 1t
gave excellent promise. however, which
IL Is to be hoped will be fulfilled by the
novel that Mr.. Davis recently complet-
ed for Scribner's Magazine.
II seems hardly creditable that a
writer who has achieved so much as
MT Davis has done should not be more
tnan so years of age; yet the very ex-
ceiience or these achievements is, per-
maps. due to a certain youthful quality,
70 what 1 have already called "go,"
that Is, perhaps, the most marked
characteristic of the work. 1t is only
natural that-having written so much
ana In so short time-he should have
made mistakes. Some of these have
subjected him to severe criticism, some,
even, to ridicule. both of which are
wholesome. though painful to a popu-
lar writer. But these mistakes are GER
tainiy the mistakes Of youth, and for
this reason they should not, perhaps.
be judged too severely. When, for ex-
ample. Mr.. Davis says In Our English
Cousins" that in America we consider
4 part Of the education OF q gentleman
10 know how to mount a lady on
1E =
now TO mount lady on horseback are
apt to wonder where he got that par
ticular bit of information, and unless
We have a saving sense of humor. TO
De a little severe upon him for assum- |
ng so lightly the pose OF a young Ches- |
erfield.
Mr.. Davis work has been described |
Is journalistic" and this adjective. II |
eems to me, describes it perfectly. |
indeed, he himself retoices in IL. for |
dr. Davis loves journalism as 1 have
lever known another writer to love it;
moreover, he believes in IL, and he at
rfbutes his success in story telling
argely to the training he received on
newspapers. 1T gives a man quick
ess, resource, facility and patience"
e said, as we discussed the relation of
journalism to literature, and these
1alitfes are all valuable in literary
FORK. OF course, 1t has its dangers.
nd a man ought not to stay in If too
ing; two years are quite enough, 1t
GEMS to me. I once got a letter from
,obert Louis Stevenson, warning me to
eware of the brilliantly clever work
the newspapers. That was when /
as on the Press, and the other re-
orters and myself made an idol of
tevenson and used to initiate him.
ne of our favorite tricks was to put
assages from ''Markheim," Steven
'n's great story. you know, into the
louth of a suicide. We never were
lught in this little game, as our edi-
'r never used to read Stevenson. III
rote to tell Stevenson about this, and
lat is how I happened to get a letter
ON him, and I've never forgotten the
bod advice II contained"
An account of Mr.. Davis work would
IT be complete without some refer
ice to his one-act plays, THE other
oman" and MY Disreputable Friend,
ISIS Reagan" the latter of which was
ought out as a curtain raiser by e.
Sothern. II he could bring to the
anna the spirit and the vitality that
; has put into his other work, Mr.. Da-
5 would be a welcome addition to
e present pitifully small band of good
amatists.