The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19
STORIES OF ALPHONsE DAUDET.
His Habit or writing from Life and the
Troubles It Brought Mim-His Home.

His Habit or writing from Life ana the
Troubles Ht Brought Aim-EAis Home.
When Alphonse Daudet. who died suddenly
on Thursday. submitted his famous novel.
"Sapho." to a firm Of New York publishers, they
decided that It wouldn't do for them to publish
such o book, and q cable despatch was sent to
Paris saying "'Sapho' not accepted" In his 40
Constituent Daudet could think Of no reason
why his book should be refused. He went to Q
friend with tho cable despatch and asked an OK
PLANTATION Of him. The friend happened to know
English. and his theory Of the refusal of the
masterpiece was q curious one. ''The name Of
the heroine, " he said, us in EnglishB PEELED with
two p's, and you have written only one"
That explanation satisfied the French author,
who Immediately cabled to the American pub
fishers: spell 'Sapho' with two ps II you
Ike" But even that privilege was not enough
to induce the firm to publish poor "sapho."
For many years before his death Daudet suf-
fered from q nervous disease which caused him
at times great pain. although he believed that 1t
increased his literary powers. He thought es-
pecially that 1t gave his brain greater power Of
observation and intuition than he had ever pos
sesBed before.
Daudet was proud Of the fact that tho char
acters he introduced into his novels were In
varlably taken from life. and he once said that
rather than cease to work In that way no
would cease 70 write. This popularity of his
methods more than once got him into serious
trouble. Probably the most notable case Of
tho kind was the unfriendly comment aroused
by his use Of the Duo de Morny as one of tho
| characters in 10 Nabob." 1t was to the Duo
do Morny that .Daudet owed his FIRST advance
% FGem In Iar lfs; but n, fsat sr dia not I5Sysn T. him ,ba
pages Of his book. The Tsrtarin stories caused
him much annoyance. and no end Of threaten.
ing letters We're sent 70 him oy persons who
Daudets habit OF skstching from life did not
that sarcey, PaiiIeron. and Daudet We're the
T H. P sh9se h .nn.,e Mss si Mess %G os t sRe Ras a.
Bellechasse, and It was on Thursday evenings
that he received his friends, The literary
Industrious and steady writer, his circum.
Comfort. iii. country. house at Champrosay
was q beautiful establishment, and there the
author spent most of his time between April
that he did most Of his work. and the summer
days by, the Seine were reserved chiefly, for
Paris house stood two pieces OF furniture that
always attracted the. attention of visitors:
used In Daudet's native province TO contain
-four. and The other q cusiously designed bas-
The Thursday evening gatherings in the Dau-
music, OF which Daudet was very fond. He
II was the work Of Chopin which appealed to
him above all other music.
His manner Of composition he was always
wrote a story without an aim and that several
OF his novels. were suggested by particular In
stances which came under his own view. He
collected q series OF notebooks In which he
wrote everything that suggested itself 70 him
from one OF these books will give an idea OF
their character. Ono OF them contai. cd the
blowing o tries:
ment when our lives take their discretion
Our careers Of art. tull Of wanderers, the mis-
guided, and OF trains in distress. The assur
ance OF the one passing by. sure OF his road ant
drm on his rails. How one would abtonisi
him by telling him that he was not going whsr,