The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28

III.
II has been pointed ont that the author is not
called upon by, the public; he is not sent for like
the lawyer and the physician. That is because
he offers himself unaskcd and in far greater
numbers than is wanted, So while he stands up
FOR hire with the rest in the statute fair OF Patcr.
nostcr row, the public go and make their choice.
In the autumn of 1893 there were produced.
among other works of deafness interest, four
hundred novels, unnoticed al first. With these
appeared a story on whose title page was the
single name. "Ariadnc."
lay it.down with a feeling that it was "A crude and
early piece of work, badly constructed. the dia.
logue managed without skill, and the story
naught; 1t is now four years since that book
WAS written and the glamour has quite gone out
OF it.. The paESs charm y Urn no one; IT i not asked EfH
soon drop into, the sixpenny box. Why then,
one asks, was there 50 great, so Immediate, n
run upon III Tic smart. critic set down the
fact to the bad taste OF the reading public: the
man who understands that the bad taste of the
public never by any chance sends him after fec
through. the magic Of the book seized him; no
forgot altogether his purpose in reading the
book; he forgot to ask Why's, and he revcr
stopped until he had reached the end. Then he
swering that question TO anybody who chose.
Every now and then such n book appears; il
succeeds; the only explanation of its success is
that il Possesses IA mysterious charm which
scizcs upon the reader and holds him tight
as the ancient mariner held the wedding guest.
Every year AZ least two and generally three
regulations in fiction are made. The writer OF
'.Ariadnc" made her reputation by that book.
Nobody had ever heard her name; nobody knew
anything about her AT all. But her book, which
had begun by creeping, went on to rnnmto leap
to ga!lop-through the editions. The pub.
fisher, who had begun by being grumpy, be-
came first cheerful. then bcaming; ne haa been
overbcnring ut first, with the tnkc,it'Or.lcave'it
manner which belongs to one who COnfcrs u
doubtful benefit and incurs II possible loss: he
became kindly, friendly, aifcctionutc, even def.
crential. He gave a dinner party one evening.
The author of ".AriHdnc' was the guest Of the
evening. Her name, il appears. was Ariadno
Ascot. She was still quite young, not more
than two and twenty: she was tull OF anlina;
her Ignorance; she could not talk of new books
because shc had read none, nor of poets because
she knew none. nor Of art because she had hard.
ly ever seen any pictures. she accepted adnli'
ration. however. with evident JOY; IT Is new TO
| me- she said. like everything else. You can.
not tell me too often how You like my poor little
book" There was in her face, in her manner,
carcssing yet not submissive. something OF the
glamour OF her book:
81 reviewed it in the DdIy Train. said one
shipped il, as | should worship the author. Miss
Ascot, you have made, believe me. the most
brilliant contribution To literature that we have
enjoyed for n whole generation,
II suppose" he said to another man NJ the
club ;iat night. that il is all right about the
you know. | have heard ~ ,
so have /. In this case it is all right. ]
know the printer,
shell make "A pot Of money
my dear follow, nothing To what she'll make
by her second book. ! hear they are wiring
across the Atlantic To secure her AT any price
Man, she's an heircss. she lives at the Lang
ham; got three rooms and a maid, and is spend
ing the money as fast rs she makes II"
Thus, you see, heaven does sometimes heal