The sun., 1896-09-20

1
There was an air Of freedom about Il: but h
had been authorised 70 tell me that was 4
suit myself, write a. pleased. and make thing
60 10 my liking. He said he believed that tn
remarks he had Just heard would make first
rate chapter for the opening of tho book, ~
could favor the publishers by writing then
out At once, 90 that he could take the manu-
script OF them tn Philadelphia by the evening
train for the use OF the tvpesetters next m ,rn
Ing. II would need but a moment TO sign th,
| contract with tho fountain pen, and glanc,
at Il would show that he had doubled the copy
/ right originally allowed TO the author. he
sniled for tho nrst time during tho interview.
How sad It is whom q man whose thought
| IL right and whose will is strong cnanRos his
mindl But thon It was Shakespeare who, in
Ais Well that Ends WELL" said: "Ha must
needs TO that the Devil drives"
The contract was signed.
Tho chief agent. aotinR for the publishers,
had accepted the proviso that II. after tho FIRST
weeks efforts, found that the thing could
not bo done within the prescribed time, tho
party Of tho other part should be relieved from
all responsibility.
The publishers agent grlnned till his NOUS
tachio curlod.
had pcnned the remarks which he had heard,
and which we're Just the thing for q short
opening chapter OF the book. He waited,
happy In the assurance that ne hnd conquered
at last. and that he would be able 10 take TO
philadelphia by the express train that night
part of the manuscript for tho book. He
waited while i sat at my table before q quiro
OF foolscsp, ten pages of which were covered
with writing In time fo- him to catch the OK.
press. He told the cabman who ha4 stayed
In front Of the house for him that no would
give him a dollar extra II no reached tho de-
put before tho train started. l learned after
ward that tho Jehu got the dollar.
Hail. purGatory! oh, that I might catch
the delirium tremens and escape the con.
tract! was in for It Tho elder Dumas was
help me. not Mulhooly himself. tho friend OF
tho lost.
Not q wink could sleep that night. had
bound myself TO think and write 1o6. 900 words.
500 pages, thirty chapters. In twenty.ono days
Tho older Dumas was o literary loafer. Go to
grass, Zola.
From bedtime till daylight 1 could not Fet
the book out of my head for o moment. A
blood-curdlinz night tmare would have boon
pleasant in comparison.
The book must be written. and that on time.
publishing firm, head agent, q battalion
OF canvassers, and myriads of corybantic read
ors were waiting Tor IL.
Iarose from my couch at an early hour.
tried to arrange my thoughts about the book,
about the plan of 1t, about the material for Il.
Its 500 blank pages stood out before me. bound
in full Russia.
Now. Bridget! Who rang that door bell a
this time of the morning p"
1T wes messenger boy. sir. with despatch,
and no says he 10 TO wait for an answer"
IL was despatch from my Phiadelphis
publishers, expressing satisfaction with the
FIRST short chapter Of the book, which had come
to hand. and saying that another chapter was
expected by the mail of that evening. TELL
the boy. Bridget. there 10 no answer" An
hour later another despatch, asking II I had got
tho first. WAS delivered at tho door. My reply
was: Copy will be forwarded"
got 70 work on tho book by of that morn.
Ing. had happy thought at once. It was |
4 caption for the second chapter. and that |
caption enabled mo to perceive how rould |
cover ten or \ dozen pages. By nightfsil they |
were covered. and the chapter was ended all |
right. Why. perhaps, after all, this book
san be written in time.
For the next chapter some hard thinking.
'ome rummaEinR among books. some work of |
! trying kind had to DO done. determined
70 cit up all night and struggle with manu.
'cript Up to midnight ! had done hardly
anything. could not get my crude thoughts
n order..cou not sec how tho chapter would
AXE shape, could not grasp the argument,
'ould not find what rummaged for IN every
'igeonholo and drawer. It was an awful
'tate of mind. l bowed my head on the table
md slept for a half hour. Whom woke up
Ill was clear. saw the outlines Of the chap.
er. got a firm hold of the argument from
lrst to last. and discovered that the material
needed was within reach. worked like q
Roosevelt street 'puller-in." I wrote like
'ury. 1t was naming.hot night. When
lbout ten pages OF foolscap were full got
stuck" had lost tho thread OF tho areu-
nent After while caught tho idea again
md spun along more quickly than ever. By
daylight thirty pages of cap had been writ
on, and the matter seemed to mo satlsfac-
ory. The manuscript was hurried out of tho
rouse In time TO catch the first morning ex-
press for Philadelphia, no that IL could bo in
he printers hands by noon.
Three of the thirty chapters wore of, and
surely they ought to mako forty or ffty
'ages in print, long primer.
With an aching head and faded mind flung
myself, all clad, on sofa. and had Just begun
10 drtnm that / was out fishing with Cleye-
and AM Joo Jefferson whom somebody seized
ny hand, told mo that the first batch Of proofs
hat they should DO returned by next mail, and
hat boy with q despatch was standing at
lie door. Tho proofs loo-:od pretty; tho do.
patch was from the Philadelphia firm; I'VE
must have moro copy to-day; We are behind"
Oh, yc viliatnsl Away. and be of foreverl
This thing can't be done. Nous perrons.
I ordered dozen boxes OF big black cigars.
old my household that the place must be kept
lulet. forbade the admission of visitors. re-
ired TO the garret. warned Bridget that she
nust not disturb mo, and directed her to place
iDon my table threo or four times every day
IN urn of tho strongest coffee she could make.
determined TO work day and night for three
weeks. live uoon cold coffeo and crackers, keep
myself lively by smoking all the time, never
o sl,up while could stay awake, and write that
book Of 500 pages and e5, 900 words II It should
70 the death OF me.
In my Rarret, with coffee and crackers, plenty
u cigars, several reams of foolscap. a wooden
'ench beside my table for use when could
lot possibly keep awake. suoh works of refer
nco as might be needed, and desperate reso.
ution, We shall SEQ whether tho book cannon
10 written within the three ueeks