Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-02-22
THE HISTORY OF A STORY.
How I Wrote a Story for the Youths
Companion, and Why 1t Has Not APP
peared.



In the year 1891. shortly after the /
pup IcaJlOn OF my hrst book, by the
American baptist Publication Society /
ln order 10 strengthen my record Of
literary work, which began with the
pubncstion OF The Ivy IN 1890, en-
ueavored 20 get shOrt story publish
ed IN the Youth Companion of BOs-
Gon.
had learned that one of the Edi-
tors was member OF the same de-
nomination as myself, BaptisJ) and
Thought that here 4 would De sure TO
/ mud a friendly hand-one wiling TO
give me lust one opportunity To widen
NV little circle OF effort. only want
ed 10 have one story appear in the
| companion, that might use 1t as peo-
pie use references when they want a
situation; and only wanted TO use
my reference among my own people.
LIZ was not my desire 10 get before the
white public, for / have but small
dealings with them, and they with me.
IOI course, i wrote all about this 10 the
EdiUOr-making a personal appeal.
Among oJhe + things, L impressed upon
him tEe fact that was 'colored wo-
man end proud of it," and only wanted
40 make a record with but scant OPP
| portunitv TO do so. To this letter j
received the following reply;
BosroN, MASS, March 8, 1891.
Dear Madam
We have read your let
I ter with interest and are GLAD TO reply
I. 70 YOUR questions. Unless you men-
uioned your race in submitting IN
manuscripts, we should not have
known, but for the letter of March Sd
I | whether you were white or q coiorec
: woman. And we may assure you, thai
> had we known, the manuscript would
nave received exactly the sam me careful
; consideration which proved them no
}. wholly suitable for the Companion
II The question of suitability for GU
4 purpose, you will readily see, is th'
II one which we must consider first anS
l. foremost, since those who read the pa
a per, approach its stories with no llttl
n knowledge of the authors condition o
N record. If. therefore, you will sen'
n us anything we can use, 1t will b.
l. willingly accepted.
u Very truly yours,
"a THR EDITOR.
q Well, ] wrote story which was re
turned with this letter:
Boston, MASS.
We examined your story, and tn
q verses carefully, and should use ther
" gladly were they adapted to the Com
IA panion's needs. Agreeably as part
W of the story are told, the lines o
sh which it is constructed are unfortu
40 nately somewhat too familiar TO sui
ne our purpose, = But there
IL no reason to infer that other work
.. = might not be accepted.
Us With regret, believe US,
=, Very truly yours,
re THE EDITOR
- With this letter came circular
information as to what ere the ds
- mands of the Companion. / req
- them carefully and thinking TIT
r. there was an intention to pick flaws
or my work indefinitely, and for the pu
Ia pose of getting rid OF me. l replied I
~ follows: THE letter is too lengthy
- give verbatim, so / only give 6,
ed tracts.)
mr. BALTMoRE, Md April, 1S9
MT EDITOR YoUTH's COMPANION,
IL Dear Sir:-Your favor OF the
Ie- inst received. say dear sir, wish
SSat say, that / read the Companion reg
'toh larly, carefully NOT for amusemeI
III but by way OF study, IS read almC
tel every thing / do read
i'll DO you not think that the stories
he which the most unlettered colored pc
.so most ludicrOns light, are along 1T
49, familiar lipes2" i should say, We
ath much SO and also very distasteful
rtV the cOlOred people, not to =
thing about the cruelty on the p
Iof the whites. But ] suppose il
me. all right, and highly literary, since
nee caters to the prejudice of the VIII
IL IDeoDle Whose fault is
ore that so many colored people talk OK
The ily? Is it not the white peoples? a
etc are they not parading their own b
the salty in bringing it before the pub
and = Then as TO the adaptabilit,
RED matter to the Companion, your cir
'odv lar says that the Youths Oompan
not is not q child's paper lis not Lott
mis- Romance q child's story? It says
Deo- will not accept religious stories: =
wss Chance Lost is not that a religi
ssory2 1t says you will not take tr,
lations lis NOS Franz and his grs
mother q translation2
Then as to verses :--pardon me
ask in what are mine inferior to s
on the 'Children's Page as The Ii
NJ Boys Plans? or Better than Coin
init crandpa's'? The metre in mine
. the even, the rhyming is correct;
n /. sentiment is good, and they tea
leva- lesson In what are they inferior,
n Of peciallY to the last mentioned yer
,ably Do not think me. egotIstical, II am
, the simply write as do, from pu
strs- practical point.
8 ap- Now sir, IL you have . combins
" in Of writerS; II your matter 10 supI