Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-03

ture. AT the examination for the de-
gree of bachelor he was plucked be-
cause he could not give the date of the
death of Charlemagne.
When he left school he became a
clerk, at a salary of 60 francs a month.
The work was such utter drCdgery and
the prospect Of improvement so entire
ly negative that after two months Of
slavery he threw up the place and for
eighteen months led life of the most
miserable bohemianism. During that
time when he could add to his penny
worth of bread pennyworth of cheese
or cup of black coffee he considered
himself in luxury. In 1862, through a
letter of introduction, he got subor-
dinate position in the publishing house
of Hachette, and thenceforth fortune
favored him. STILL prosperity did not
come with rush. He himself says
AS late as 1867, when | was twenty
and turning my pen to every use,
managed to earn about $50 month"
Fame first came to him when he be-
gan TO publish the well known Roujon-
Macquart series-those stirring, Wig
orous books which are ranked by many
among the ablest works of fiction of
our time. On this subject he says
Il am no impressionist, and do not
believe in work rapidly dashed off. T.le
creation of & book requires much
trouble and eXacts great pains. When
| start book I have never any idea
as to Its plot. At most l have only
c general idea Of the subject. Day af-
ter day for years l have regularly de-
voted three to four hours of my morn
ings to my task on the Roujon- Mac
quart series. From four to six pages
OF manuscript of the size of sheet of
foolscap cit in half is my average
daily production. | should say that
fifteen hundred words is my daily out
put. 1t is not much, but consider what
that amounts to at the end of the year
When | have done what ] consider a
fair stint, / throw down my pen, even
II / am in the middle of sentence"
Volume after volume was turned out
in this way, and 1t was not long before
Emile Zola had an international repu-
tation. His stories were so original
80 vigorous, so true to life that they
challenged attention. Admirers and
disciples lauded them to the skies.
while, on the other hand, many
launched storms of abuse at them on
account of their coarseness. The Par
isians bought thousands of copies of
each new book, and the booksellers re-
1oiced exceedingly when they heard
that new book by the popular author
would be issued on a certain day.
Zola, however, was evidently not
content to be mere popular author.
He wanted also to play some part in
the great public arena, where men Of
affairs play their roles before the pub
lie. He wanted also to gain rank
among the French Immortals, and
hence he repeatedly, though vainly,
tried to become member If the ex-
elusive French Academy.
Zola seems to be firmly convinced
that Dreyfus is innocent, and he has
not refrained from expressing this con-
viction in the strongest possible terms
That his attitude in the matter has
produced an extraordinary sensation
in Paris all newspaper readers know.
Apparently this is but the first step in
very interesting drama. How it will
all end who can sav?
Lombroso, and Nordau would have
US believe that Zola is a degenerate,
but, so far as physical appearance goes,
he seems more sturdy and healthy than
many younger man. Picture to your
selves a strongly built, determined
looking man, with a most intelligent
face, large, wrinkled forehead, grayish
beard and eyes, half concealed by
glasses, and you have a fair idea of
this keen and clever Frenchman,
whose name 10 now on the lips of al
most every man in Paris.