Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-11
OUR SOCIAL WORLD

{AH items of social interest will be gladly
noted in these columns If sent to Mrs.
George c.. Ball Nineteenth street, between
Tenth and Eleventh avenues, South Hlgh-
lands. Telephone 9SS)
The wonderful piece of good fortune
which has come to Mr.. Harry Stillwell
Edwards of Georgia in having his story,
''Sons and Fathers" receive the first
prize of $1,000 from the Chicago Record,
is arousing enthusiasm in literary cir
cles throughout the south, but especially
in Georgia. Mr.. Edwards, as is well
known, lives near Macon, Ga. in lovely
country home, and there he purs sues his
literary la bors surrounded by an inter-
esting and congenial family. Up TO TINS
time he has only written short stores
but they were long enough to bring him
fame and a comfortable income. Two OF
his most notable stories are "Old MISS
and Sweetheart and de Valley or de
Shadder," both sketches of southern lite
that are filled with the aroma of Chero-
kee roses, honeysuckles and bay bios
SONS, and also with shadowy t1nts like
those of the marshes and pine tnlckcls
where the sunlight rarely penetra es
.'Sons and Fathers" is the first long story
ever attempted by Mr.. Edwards; hence
ter writing IL, and while he waited in sus-
pense, fearing it would not be accepted
at all as a prize winner, he comforter
himself with the reflection that, II REJECT
ed. Sons and Fathers could De Suo-
divided into many short stories ana sent
10 the different magazines. About year
ago the Chicago Record offered prizes
amounting to 100000, variously dlstrlp-
uted. for the best stories OF mysteries;
The competition began last April, ana
celebrated writers In this country anu
Europe entered the lists, Mr.. Harry ..
Edwards among the number. Mr.. Ed
wards labored with little rest during last
Summer on this sketch, and worked at
night beginning at IL o'clock p. m. ana
continuing until daylight, securing per
feet quiet and avoiding the heat OF the
summer DAYS. He slept during the day,
Int the strain upon his mental and ner-
yous strength was so great that ne was
compelled to take complete rest De1ote
transcrbing for typewriter. lheIe
were ST. of the best story writers Oh .ne
world contending for the prizes, ana IL Is
no wonder that the Georgians are SO
elated because the first prize OF $lO,O Oo-
perhaps the largest ever offered FOR siml-
lar work-has been awarded Georgian,
especially when we remember tnat TINS
was the first long sketch ever written py
Mr.. Edwards. Speaking OF MS acnie'e-
ment. Mr. Edwards says:
1T found 1t hard to get out of the shoru
story style and to carry my tnreao
Through changing days and seasons or
from moon to moon. l was as Hape az
not to find myself making moonlgnt
night when the moon was not due, anu 10
f,4rget that one day is not always like an
other
He was greatly encouraged and ASSIST
cd nv his wife and daughter In trans
cyibing and reading his manuscript, anu
1t was forwarded to the Chicago Record
with the hope that it might be one OF the
first twenty-five best sketches. An ex-
change says:
..Einally late in the fall there arrived
In Macon gentleman from Chicago. Mr..
Charles NJ Frye is most pleasant MEM
Der of the newspaper fraternity ana Oh
the Record staff, and only q chosen rev
knew that the special object of his visit
t., Macon was to revise With Mr.. Ed
wards the story "Sons and Fathers"
1.-Two weeks were spent in the revision,
during which time Mr.. Frye kept as mum
as a native of Palachcola. The sign was
hopeful. however. and after his depart
ure it was known by Mr. Edwards closest
friends that the young author stood
chance of winning one of the prizes.
Then suspense set in.
"Mr Edwards suffered less than his
friends, and every one was kept on the
qui vive by oracular and tantalizing tele-
grams from Mr.. Frye The announce
ment yesterday settled the matter, and
since the news was first received In Ma
con Mr. Edwards has been overrun with
congratulations"
Miss Mignon Conner, at the home of her
parepts, Mr. and Mrs. B. b Conner, South
Highlands, entertained the Literary
Clique of '95 yesterday afternoon at $3.50
O'Clock.
The Highland Book club will meet this
"wednesday morning at 1890 O'Clock
with Mrs. Henry L. Badham, Nineteenth
street, South Highlands.
Mrs. William l.. Sims returned few
DAYS ago from a delightful visit to rel
atives ard friends In New Orleans.
Mrs. william B. Leedy leaves shortly
for a visit of several weeks 10 her sis
ters and brother. Memphis. Tenn.
Miss Rose Snitzer at her home on Six
teenth street, Northside, entertained the
H. w. Grady Literary club on Monday
evening Officers for the ensuing year
were elected. after which refreshments
were served.
Mrs. Mallam, who has been the guest
for several months OF her daughter Mrs.
William L. Sims, will leave In few
days for New Orleans, whittier she goes
TO visit her daughter, Mrs Caswel1 Ellis.
La ter in the spring Mrs. Mallam will Wis.,
1t friends in Texas before returning to
Birmingham.
Mr.. and Mrs Arthur w. Smith have
Issued casds to a reception to be given
on The evening of March IL at their home
In Avondale in honor of Miss Hays and
their niece, Miss Mason.
Mr.. and Mrs. e. spiro viii, entertain
also ON Thursday evening, the 18th. at