Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24

| another offer from me of s75 a column
Upon this she said to d friend Il like the
| spirit Of that man Bonner. and wish you
would go down and see him. Her friend
came and we eventually got together
Il then proposed to give her 800 a COL
umn, but said l did not want the story to
run over ten columns. She replied that she
would write the story for $1,000. provided
would take II whether it ran nine columns
| or eleven columns. as she could not tell
| just how much it would run out. l agreed
to this. and the story was published. The
| circumstances Of the engagement were
| told. and nearly every newspaper in the
country published my extravaganza in pay
ing 500 column for a story. l got sjo..sp
worth of advertising out of the arrange
ment. and the people began to ask for the
Ledger. Before this 1 had had trouble
| in getting the news stands to take the
Ledger. After this they were glad TO get
| it,
Did Fanny Fern write more for You
| after that?" 1 asked.
Yes: she wrote for me more or Jess I'D
to the time of her death, both she and her
husband. James Parton. Fanny Fern was
a genius. She had ability mewhat like
that of Henry Ward Beechcr Her mat
ter was always interesting and valuable
Stories of Henri. Ward Bcerher.
Speaking of Beecher, Mr. Bonner ne
also wrote for the Ledger, did he not?"
Yes, replied the veteran editor. He
wrote great deal for me- and among other
things his novel Norwood for which |
paid him s3O,000."
How did you become acquainted with
MI. Beecher?" 1 asked
1t was through a poem of one of his
lady friends He sent me the manuscript
tating that if used it check would be
very acceptable to the lady. / wrote back
at once that 1 had plenty of poetry, bur
that ! wanted himself. 1 told him that if
he would give me from half to three
quarters of column a week that / would
pay him $500 year. 1 sent a check for
$2.0O0 with the letter the advance SAL
airy for the first year. He accepted it, and
fro m that time until his death he wrote
for the Ledger"
What was the nature Of his writings"
They were to a large extent editorials"
replied Mr.. Bonner. Many of them were
published under the heading, Thoughts
as They OccIr by One Who Keeps Hi;
Eyes Open The first article. 1 remember,
Was entitled A Cannon Ball in Hat 1t
gave the experiences of d man who at
| tempted to carry away a cannon ball in his
hat. 1t described how the cannon bail
grew heavier and heavier, and how the
fear of detection ate into the soul of the
thief. A personal moral was brought out
from this which struck he me to eve real
err great deal OF the matter written 10y
Mr.. Beecher was not published over his own
signature, and this was also the case with
the articles of Harriet Beecher Stowe. 1t
was d ring the wears just preceding the
war. We had then large circulation in
the south, and the name of Mr.. Beecher as
one of the contributors would have lost us
Thousands of subscribers
Beecher's ssO.OOO Novel.
WAS not $4,000 a great deal to pay for
novel?'
Yes" replied Mr. Bonner, cit was But
1 think the venture was a good business in
vestment. The way came to pay Just this
amount was rather curious. I had made an
arrangement with Edward Everett 10 write
series of articles for the Ledger. Mr.
Everett was at thst time the leading states
maj Of the country along certain lines He
was anxious that Mount Vernon should be
bought and preserved. and he was giving
lectures over the country for the purpose
OF raising money for what was called the
Mount Vernon fund I proposed TO him
that would give $4,000 to the fund II he
would write series Of articles for .he
Led dyer. He accepted it. His articles were
widely read, and the Ledger again was the
me st talked Of paper IN the country. 1 af-
terward paid him $4,000 additional for
other articles. This was some time before
When did write first offered to pay him
$4,000 for the story. CT as much as I had
paid Mr.. Everett fer his writings Later
on increased the amount to $s0,000.
Here is what he answered in reply to my
first proposition:
Plymouth Rock at Council.
Dear Mr.. Bonner:
II am almost dumb after reading your
proposition ami must clear my head be-
fore ] say a word
".tSigned) HENRY WARD BEECHER'
when II was announced that Mr.. Beech
er was to write the story there was a de-
cided sensation in literary I'd religious
circles. Some preachers, and especially a
Rev. Mr.. Seeley. criticised Mr.. Beecher's
actions In making money an. that way.
wrote an editorial on the subject, which
was rather facetious. and sent the proof
of 1t to Mr.. Reecher. suggesting that II he
thought well Of It that ne might give me