The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-13

vel's books, and I think I wrote some
essays along that line. I wrote a story
or so and sent them to the Courier
Journal. The editors did not publish
the articles nor send back the manu-
script. Later on, after some of my
stories had been published in a North
ern magazine, [ happened to sit one
evening next to Ballard Smith, then
editor of the New York World, at din
Ter. He. asked me some questions
as to my first literary work, and 1 tod
him that a number of my first writings
had been submitted to him when he
was editor of the Courier-Journal, but
that he had rejected them. OF course,
he did not remember them, and it may
be that they very deservedly went into
Writing Stories on States.
After leaving Kentucky Mr.. Page went
back to Virginia. He spent a short
time at home and then decided to be-
come a lawyer. He kept up his literary
work while at the university of Vir-
ginia, writing articles for the college
magazine Some of the most interest
ing Of his early attempts were made at
his hCine in Virginia during his vaca-
lions. For a time it was his custom
to write stories for his friends on states
and 30 rub tt EN- out after reading them.
AS lie lOiu me IDiS, L SdlQ.
THAT must have been a great waste
Of good material The stories you then
rubbed out would be. very valuable
row.
Il don't know about that" replied
Mr.. Page. with a laugh. There are
many things which I have written since
then and published which l wish could
now be on the slate so that I could rub
them out"
when did you do your first work in
dialect writing?"
81. suppose some of it was done in
those slate stories,'' replied Mr.. Page.
Il tried to write in dialect while was
at the university of Virginia and later
on, after 1 began my practice of law
IN Richmond. 1t was when 1 was prac-
ticing there that I wrote a poem en-
titled 'Unc' Babes White Folks and
sent it to the old Scribner, which is now
the Century. 1t was accepted and I
received a check for SIS for it. II was
my first money for literary work, and
1 remember that 1 was very proud Of
the check. Later on I wrote an article
on old Yorktown for the SCribner, and
then sent them my first story, which
was entitled 'Marse Chan"
Origin of .'Marse Chan"
rs there any story connected with
the writing of 'Marse Chan Mr.
Pager" 1 asked.
Yes; the story started in my mind
from an old letter which a friend of
mine showed me- This letter was from
an llliterate girl in Georgia to her
soldier sweetheart. The letter was
poorly written and poorly spelled, but
full of pathos. The girl had, it seemed,
trif1ed with the man, but after he had
left for the war she had realized her
great love for him and written. She
wrote, I know I have treated you
mean. 1 amt never done right with
you all my life and I loved you all the
time. When you asked me to marry
you, l laughed and said I wouldn't have
you, and it makes me cry to think you
are gone away to the war. Now, l
want you to know 1 love you, and I
want you to git a furlow and come
home and I'll marry you With a
few words of affection the letter closed,
but a postscript below was added:
Don't come without a furlOw, for I'M
less you come home honorable 1 won't
Il AIRY you This letter was. received
by the soldier only a few days before
the battle of Seven Pines, and after
he was shot it was found in his breast
pocket just over his heart. The pathos
of it struck me so forcibly that out of
it came the story, 'Marse Cham"
when did You write 'NIeh Lady?'"
I asked.
Not for some time after 'Marse
Chan was written" he replied. 1.-The
law, you know, is a very jealous mis-
tress, and all of my energy was going
in my practice Such writing as | did
in Richmond was done during the
evening, and for a time I stopped writ
ing entirely, for fear the work would
Interfere with my success at the bar:
The story 'Marse Chan was kept for
several years by Scribners before il
and 1 wrote the editor asking why they
did not publish it. Shortly after that
received the proof and the story ap-
Deared- | was married in 1886, and
Meh Lady was written a short time
after that. 1 then wrote other stories,
and have been writing more or less
from that time to this"
Law and Literature.
you were speaking of law, Mr. Page
Were you ever much of lawyer?"-
THAT is a leading question" said
the story writer, with a smile. 81
think you ought to ask that of some
Of my Co-practitioners in Richmond
rather than me. 1 will only say that
l was able to support myself within
six months after l began my practice.
and that for eighteen years, and. in
deed. up to the time I came to Wash
ngton to live, my chief income was
from the law"
How did you like your work as one
of the editors Of Harper's Magazine?"
Il was never one of the editors" re-
piled Mr.. Page. q had an engage
ment with the Harpers TO write a story
every month for year for the 'Edi-
tors Drawer but I could not stand
being obliged to furnish so much man
uscript at a certain time. 1t worried
me. I kept up the work. however, for
two years. and then stopped"
DO, you write rapidly?"
| Yes and no." was the reply. Some
! times I can make my first draft very
quickly. I write the first draft as rap
| idly as 1 can. and then go over it very
carefully in the revision. I try to sim
| plffy my writings as much as possible.
/ The more simple it is I think the bet