The San Francisco call., 1896-10-25

the originator of that clark, - which away
from home has been taken so seriously. The
story goes that when the little paper was ad-
vertised at cents monthly copy or 81
year, some thirty yearly subscriptions came
in, presumably for the sake OF the reduced
ratesl The joke had to be elaborately ex-
planned, but history does not relate whether
or not the money was refunded. But Mr..
Burgess has done some good work aside from
his nonsense iingles, though, indeed, it takes
q sort of genius 10 do these we'll. 1t requires
no seer, now, TO predict for him an assured
future. II is much in his favor that he is a
lover of Stevenson and will probably-like his
great master-never rest satisfied short of that
perfection which comes from taking infinite
pains. He had fine quatrain in the Septem-
Der Bookman:
Conduct me- Zeus, and thou o Destiny,
Wherever thy DEGREES have fixed my lot,
follow cheerfuly and did not
Wicked and wretched must follow still.
The old prayer, prayed to his strange gods
SO many centuries ago by Epictetus yet for
ever applicable to the eternal problem of fate
and the human will
1t is difficult to appreciate, until the verdict
OF the outside word compels US, the talent of
those people who are always ordinary, to our
view, because they part of the familiar
aspect of everyday life. On the other hand
It is immensely surprising to discover, as we
sometimes do, that the author OF work we
have rated highly is an unknown dweller in
our midst. One snch surprise was in store
after reading a very striking sketch in the
Century Magazine called six Bulls to Die"
1t was a strong study in psychology, with
background oil vivid Mexican local color. 1t so
impressed one reader that il was taken home
at night and read again 10 the group about
the evening lamp. What was our interest to
learn, short time after, that the author is a
Californian, native of San Jose, widowed
daughter of Judge Porter, with whom she
makes her home.
The Century has been more than once the
gate of entrance into those "Elysian fields of
letters for young California writers. Chester
Bailey Fernald first appears as story writer
in the pages of that magazine. The way it
came about forms in itself sort of story and
was related one evening by Mr.. Fernald in
answer to various questions from an interested
circle of people in friends house. He will
pardon am certain, one listener for retelling
il here. Ii was during his two years expert |
ence in Washington as correspondent of one |
of the San Francisco papers that he met the
celebrated and notorious Count MitkiewitZ
and his Chinese secretary. The Count was a
Russian impostor, whose large schemes for
raising money in this country fell through.
His secretary, high-class Chinaman, was his
dupe. After the failure of the Counts plans
the secretary was thrown upon his own re-
sources and eonfided to Mr.. Fernald his desire
TO enter the field of journalism. AS his knowl-
edge of English was extremely limited there
seemed to be barrier to success in that line
that might have daunted abler man than
MI Ting. His 'plgeon English" was beyond
all description fascinating and. unique.
The idea OF collaborating with this Celestial
suggested itself TO Mr.. Fernald. Mr.. Ting
could furnish the dialect which he himself
would faithfully transcribe qf any one may
use that word in reference to typewriter),
and incidentally furnish the construction of
the story. Mr.. Ting's JOY was intense. He had
the true Oriental respect for books. His am
bition could conceive no greater satisfaction
than that of seeing his own words in printI
The great work was finally completed, and,
under the title, ''Chung Tow, the High Rob-
was sent TO the Century.
Mr.. Fernald, meantime, went to Alaska and
dismissed the whole matter from mis- mind.
1t was recalled by a letter from the Magazine,
saying they were considering the acceptance
of the story, though they had short time be-
fore resolved to cut dialect, and they asked
whether Mr.. Fernald could furnish them with
some Chinese illustrations. With the exuber-
ance OF youth and Western Union Telegraph |
frank, he wired them that he could and would |
With twinkle in his eve, Mr.. Fernald assured |
his hearers that the Century Company gave |
him to understand that there was no hurry |
He secured the illustrations on his return to |
San Francisco, paying $40 to an interpreter to |
find him an artist and s. to the man for doing |
the work.
The story was then formally accepted and |
Nj. Fernald was about to write his "collabora- |
tor" to that effect when he read in the morn |
ing paper of an expedition engaged in by Mr.. |
Ting for the purpose of gathering mushrooms
Of xrhfn ha Tba h
rooms had proved to be toadstools and at the |
moment of his reading the news Mr.. Ting was
dead. He never lived to know that he had be-
come author. Poor Mr.. Ting that cup of
JOY was held to lips powerless to taste. But
Mr.. Fernald has written much since then.
''The Cat and the Cherub" was an instant sue
cess and brought him wide recognition. Mr..
Richard Henry Stoddard is said 10 have de-
clared it the "best short piece of fiction pro-
duced in the United States within decade"
His earlier stories were suffused with the very
atmosphere of Chinatown and opened up
unique field TO fiction. Since then he has
shown great versatility in hf& range OF sub
ieets, varied from Irish sailor yarns or tales in
the sfdown East" yernacular to society studies. |
PROBABLY few readers of Caspar Whitney's
delightful sporting articles in Harper's Maga-
zine are aware OF the fact that the writer is a
Californian He was an Oakland boy, and is
school as being more devoIed to football than
to Latin. However, he certainly succeeded in
mastering good English. Besides meeting the
present fad. his articles on athletics and vari-
Gus outdoor sports or daring adventures are so
we'll written that they reach the dignity OF
literature.
Readers of the Atlantic Monthly will have
noticed that very powerful story in the octo-
Der number called abandoned on the Palms.
and signed Batterman Lindsay. Those who
were impressed by the virile force of treat
ment-as all must have been who read it,
may be surprised to learn that the author is
woman and native of San Francisco. Annie
Batterman Lindsay is daughter Of General
c. c. Batterman, an old-time Californian and
Virginia City man.
Mrs. Lindsay has written number OF
stories which were published in the |
San Francisco Argonaut Her home is in
seattle. This story is her first appearance in !
the Atlantic. 1t has already been noted and |
mighty praised in some OF the Boston papers. |
sne received from the editor, together with |
check Tor the tale, personal letter OF COM
mendation and request for more. The story |
lells OF :he abandonment in the desert OF two |
Indians. The man is old and crippled and the