The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-04
THE WESTERN WRITERS
THE SPIRIT AND PURPOSE OF THIS
LITERARY ASSOCIATION,
As Grasped by Gentleman Who At
tended and Participated In the Re-
cent Meeting at Eagle Lake.

be attended with series OF varying i'm
pressions of the place of the people and of
the organization, of which place and PEG
pie are the principal compo lent parts.
These feeting impressions follow each 9TH
err in a certain order, and each one, though
as f1eeting and perhaps almost as far from
correctness as the first of its long line OF
predecessors, is sure to be regarded as the
final and true estimate of the concern;
therefore, to give ones impression-in the
singular-of the Western Association of
Writers after week S sojourn, is only
matter of giving the whole list of impress
sions Gf they chance to have been honored
by being remembered) and letting the read
er form a composite to be named general
impression; or to give the very last one of
the series, and, as it smacks more or less
of each of those that preceded honor it
with the prefix general"
There is always a certain timidity with
which one approaches the discussion of any
organization that has honored itself by
prefxing the definite article to its title.
That little 1.-The" is a high wall with
barbed wire running along its top. 1t
means, literally, that 1.-The writer's" of the
West belong to and compose this associa-
ton. No matter how far this may be un-
intentional yet the impression of the
clusiveness of the title is one that fingers
and fingers, and drives many a startled
person with q. literary ambition into this
blessed fold as the impression dawns upon
him that he is without the pale of society;
that he is not insured in this company that
guarantees against the always impending
calamity called oblivion. And it is with a
sigh of relief like unto that given by the
man who has successfully run for a train
that the new member takes his little fresh
ly blotted receipt for the membership fee
and has that little piece of white satin
pinned upon his lapel. Thenceforward he is
ever and anon buggng out his eyes and
bowling his neck to see that the badge is
a real-for-sure one with the wording all
on-particularly that word the"
The beautiful Winona is in itself so de-
lightfu that one is sure to let the pleas
ant associations that surround him on his
very first arrival color his impressions of
the organization under consideration.
There is a freedom from restraint that is
admirable, and there is a restraint that is
painful. There is a liberty in the matter of
conversation and there is a bondage that
is miserable. There is utter congeniaHty
and there is a lack of it that is fundamen-
tai and permanent-veiled, it is true, and
smothered until often it is forgotten, but
always and inevitably there. These appar-
ent paradoxes must stand as they are UNI
less l can accomplish the herculean task of
explaining and Analysing them, and that
1 can only attempt to do. Perhaps L can do
no better than to illustrate.
EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS.
When first two or three of the lesser
lights of the association, either actual or
prospective members, get together in one
of those inevitable porch groups there are
a few more or less ELUSIVE predatory greet
ings, and then the book is just as liable to
end at the preface as at any other juno
ture. Each is afraid to mention the fact
that he has intensely enjoyed the writing
of the others lest he should be thought
fishing for a compliment upon his own i'm
mortal emanations. Among the less mod
est this restraint is attributable direct to
another cause that is first cousin of the
one just mentioned. Each is wondering
how long it will be before the other will
mention the work of the party of the first
part" as that is the subject of most posi-
tive and vital interest to himself But this
is more rare Each is earnestly desiring
(for these people are human) some words
of commentator that are sincere, and he
anything of aduation or compliment that
is perfunctory. For writer's, especially
those of the average merit of this associa-
tons membership, are sensitive thin
skinned people, and many of them, even
yet shudder and turn pale at the sight
of that awful printed Slip. in spite of the
fact that they have seen so many of them
that the gratefully regretfuI sentences are
Of
the decalogue.) Therefore, it will be read
lily understood and believed that there is a
reticence and a guardedness in the CONVEX
Stations of all who meet for the first time
with the association.
There is another feature that is actually
mirth-provoking to the man who is not
in the very throes of it himself, and that
is the manner in which a man who has
read little OF the writings of any other
local or contemporaneous aspirant evades,
avoids and pretends in conversing with an
other with whose efforts ne is naturally
supposed (by the other) to be familiar.
The first will say in confidential and smil-
ing mood, ''You know--you may have seen
that little thing of mine running so and
So" The cold sweat stands out on the
brow OF the other he distinctly remem-
bers that he never saw anything Of the
sort, and he hopes as ardently as he hopes
for eventual salvation that the author may
get on and on without once cornering his
accommodating listener and compelling
him to confess an objectionable ignorance.
There is a logical and a practical reason
for the too frequent recurrence OF TINS sort
of thing Each writer, especially the young
and ambitious struggler, Is so given up and
lost in the process OF producing sofneth1hg
commendable himself, and in improving his
own style, fertility, and, incidentally, his
prospects, that he reads with less interest
than he ought the writings of other of the
young strugglers whose aspirations and his
own are exactly similar. Each newcomer
whether or not he may admit it's just
little disappointed to find that the members
in him. But in this he is wrong, for the
persons who assemble with this organiza-
ton are not, in the truest sense, the read
ing public Of the State, or even the repre-
sentatives of that reading public. On the
contrary, they are producers OF current
literature They are all on the same side
of the footlights as it were, more the
actors than the audience, ana any other at,
titude than they already assume would
make of this worthy body of people moth
ing more than which they are already dc-
cused of being-a mutual admiration soci-
ety Yet il is a fact that the accuse ton
is false in the broad sense IN Whlch IL is
made A very earnest effort Is continually
making to prevent its becoming that very
looking upon each other at range so close
as 70 be embarrassing, all are urged 10 look
elsewhere. to look out of themselves for
that which is better, for that Whlch all are
seeking i'm the way of higher ideals, better
and purer inspiration, less OF arrogance