Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-09
A POPULAR AUTHOR.

elmpcrtinencci Bad tasto!"
Get up and don't make fool OF your
self"
As he rose and stood in the lnmpllght
brushing the dust from his clothes / rccog-
nlzed him. l had never met him before
but knew his face from hundred por-
traits, his tastes and habits from u thou
sand interviews
ut cannot he, said astonishod.
He saw that he was recognized.
"But It Is, he said
"The popular authorf"
"Tho same"
Look here said "pcrhaps was
too hnsty Just now. II l had known thna
you were an author. should not have in
tcrruptcd you Tho profession is terribly
oyorcrowded. Pray resume your suicide
Mt once
81 won't, " he replied. You've spoiled
my whole pleasure in it. You've given
the thing the mir Of flnsco."
a. am indeed sorry ono gets so into
the habit OF saving peoples lives without
making any previous inquiry. Now TINT
appreciate your motyc--your generous
desire to get out OF the way and make
room for the younger generation that Is
knocking at the
lit was not that. 1t was not that ut
ALL"
"Thcn what wns itS'
81 will tell you. +" We walked on togcth'
err. "You called me popular author just
now. l accepted tho designation, but you
were wrong
II wish could think so, but fear that
your hold on the public Is too strong
Your popularity is unfortunately still an
undCniablc fact
1.-The popularity Is all right, but am
no longer an author because 1 do not
auth.
II am delighted to hear it. When did
you first find that you were exhausted
had used up all your idcasS"
81 didn't, | haven't. / am mass of
congestcd ideas and plots and stories, and
they are nll good, but shall mover use
thcm-noycr any more-ncycr, nevorl My
popularity has killed my authorship, Tell
me- did you e'er read an interview with
mef"
81 spend my life in lodging the differ
ent interviews with you in tho different
periodicals, | may have glanced at tho
first four or five, but L always skip you
now. "
"Quite right You don't hate those in
terviows more than do. ."
$50 you always sny in the interview,
but you 20 ON being interviewed.
"How can help itl Tho advertisement
Is useful and | have wife and family to
support Besides, my good nature makes
me wenk. Tho interviewer has an editor
who liSws man who knows me and
that is how it happens All mutual friends
ought to be abolished All the Same, do
honestly hate these interviews. They take
from me time, thought energy, ideas that
might havo been given TO authorship Be-
sides for three days after every interview
am so FRUSTRATED by shame and self dis
gust that cannot write single line. "
but in the interyals-why don't you
write them After all, there must be an
occasional week when you are not inter
viewed in spite of your popularity"
Interviews are not the only curse" lie
pulled letter from his pocket. "Rcad
that"
Standing under the lamp rend 1t. II
was from the editor OF The Homo Blither
or Tho editor was anxious to get the
opinion Of number OF eminent and rep
rescntatiyc men on what he believed to be
an important domestic question-Should
women use face POWDER He would be ex-
ceedingly grateful II the popular author
would forward his views on this subject,
in which case three complimentary copies
would he forwarded to him.
"Thats all right, | said. "If were
ever to get u communication of that kind
should drop 1t into the waste paper basket
and get on with my work, ="
"No, you wouldn't, he replied. "It'!
very easy TO think you would when you n
not popular enough TO be assailcd In thi,
way but you would find 1t very different
IN practice. The Home Blithernr gets into
more middle class families than any othel
periodical, and the middle class familie
buy books, and If they got my name pu
before them sufficiently they will buy my
books With the responsibilities OF wifi
and family upon me, can't afford to neg
lect an advertisement like that but IL viii
take me days Of work. I've never though
about face powder before, and now Iv
got 10 think about 1t. What is more,
have to be wise and witty about it, NJ!
remarks ON face powder stand, you see, il
aposition Of free tasting sample. Tn
only thing is that 1.-THE accursed result
of popularity--takcs tho time and cncrg,
which might have been given TO author
ship"
"And Is that allf" "By no means
There arc invitations which never got il
my unpopular days, and one cannot n
fuse all Of them. Besides, IL is u distinc
advertisement to have ones name in tn
daily papers in the list OF notable pcopl
who have attended u function, but 1t tire
une-and it takes time. See that bill o
the boarding." ] read it aloud; "Gnrloy
Household Glue. 1t Sticks For Evcrmorc.
"Well, /" he continued, "if Gnrlcy hn
spent so much money on advertising h
beastly glue that he had no money lei
with which Co manufacture that glue,
would be exactly In the position of ~ pol
ular author For three months | hAN
written nothing-nothing except answer
20 invitations and gratis contributions
Symposia" Pm sorry interfored, 3"
Iaid, but there's Rrucers at the end
the street and theyll sell you carbolic nci
and ask no questions. Carbolic is pc
SON.
He thanked me warmly. l left him
tho door OF the shop aud am not withol
hope that there will be an intcrestiI
news item in the papers tomorrow morl
ng.-Barry Pain.