New-York tribune., 1896-11-30
FIint'S Fine F Furniture.
Rich Holiday Remembrances.
TOILET TABLES. $1,000.
NEWSPA PER AND LITERARY WORK.
HOW YOUNG WOMAN Uses SYSTEM AZ
AN AID TO HER LABOR WITH THE PEN

AN AID To HER LABOR WITH THE PEN.
A young who has chosen literature for
her lifes work gives one, day in each week saw
Ing newspaper clppings< Her advice 10 others who
wish to follow literature Is TO put good system
and method into everything undertakes. the
clipping from newspapers not excepted. As the
young woman referred to feels obliged to make
her time yield certain number OF expense dollars
each week she does no; give more than one day
In each week to clipping dating and filing clip
pings but thinks that day Is certainly not the least
profitable OF the days which usually go to
make up the week of labor TO the young asprant
for literary fame.
"In the first place" she says. III is necessary 10
settle upon some paper that the writer thinks con-
tains the matter that would be OF help In
his particular line OF work. Then OF course. read
the paper carefully each day, pencil In hand.
When an article is seen that Is likely to come OF
use make little pencil mark at the top OF the
column. Each day fold your paper and put II care
fully away out OF the dust until clipping day
comes around. small rubber printing equipment
and box-letter file will be needed.
Now you have to think OF the index OF your
clippings. Experience will teach you great deal
in this line. but 1t is well at the outset to settle
upon some signs figures to represent the maxi
mum. ;he minimum and the middle space you will
give TO certain subject. Suppose. fer instance,
you agree to let the figure represent the maxi
mum Of space. the - the minimum and the figure
1 the middle space Now you will assume that
would have the figure before It in the cata-
logue Of your clippings; that the ferret. the small
rat-eating animal. would have before II. dane
Ing would be preceded by a l. This may Q
crude illustration. but II IL 10 show the sub
jecfs that are much written about. and OF which
a full and intellectual comprehension Is needed by
every writer. all that is desired is gained.
Your clipping day has come around you cit
down at table with the papers OF the week be-
side you and carefully follow down the columns
at the head Of which you have placed your mark
during the weeks daily reading You have marked
as worth saving "A carefully written article on the
war in Cuba. You cut 1t out. and with your rub
ber-printing stamp you print the name and date
Of the paper from which IT Is taken upon the back
of the clipping Now it is ready to go into your
box-letter file. ir that compartment aside for
subjects with figure before them. On the sheet
OF paper just beneath the lid Of these box-letter
hles you should make out a neat list OF the con-
tents or that file, which you should from time to
time copy into ledger.
AS you progress in this work you will see that
many subjects which are in themselves individual
fam nr pxopep De merged under general heading
cuba. Now In the same paper there is a sort Of
nent generals. Cuban or Spanish, perhaps written
by the correspondent Of the paper you clip from.
you place these clippings either under the head
ing Of cuba war or biography. II will many times
they belong. but you will soon learn the relation
that one subject bears to another, and So In clase
researches
pings, TO follow along the trail.
autobiography is "A science that It takes lifetime
to learn. And many that have grown old and gray
In the study are in the end forced 10 acknowledge
the utter hopelessness OF graspng the subject In
the brief span OF one lifetime. The method here
recommended might be called the kindergarten Of
photography. but 1t is the best thing for one that
must live on the earnings of pen the days
go along. The daily papers every must read
II takes little more time read with pencil In
hand and then the day that you clip date
and file answers as review OF the newspaper
studies of the week.
IF one can afford the time Il is also good pIan
to follow practically the same plan with regard to
pictures and illustrations for reading matter:
that is TO say file away faces OF prominent people
Views Of celebrated places. photographs OF beauti-
ful statuary and paintings, not helterskeer pell-
nell. but with system. Even II YOU have seen the
place in your travels the looking at the picture
Will often enab Bile you 10 describe II wildly
Still another subdivision of this me work NAV
be made by saving colored plates All this II one
has the time TO spare. But If time Is valuable
+ capital. so TO speak. stick to good newspaper.
II Is better to do one thing thoroughly than do
and, In the end. TO get no benefit from the work"