The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
M. lola in REAL LIFE
HAS RISKED NEARLY EVERYTHING
TO FIGHT FOR DREYFUS.
Fearless Declarations in Politics An
and Brain of the Novelist.
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
The most talked-about man in France to-
day is Emile lola, the famous novelist and
apostle of realism. And no wonder. for has
he not boldly come forward as the cham
pion of the convict Dreyfus and charged
the authorities who condemned Dreyfus to
traitors doom with all manner of wrong
doing? Zola's outspoken utterances have
reused the authorities to wrath, and they
will compel him to defend himself in open
court. Then, if he can prove his charges,
well and good for the creator of Mana"
and 'LAssommoir, but if he cannot-one
shudders to think what the result may be.
What an amazing spectace-a story
writer at bay before the highest military
authorities of his countryi Evidently this
story writer is more than a mere imagina-
tive quill-driver. Let us sec. On April 2,
1910. Emile lola came into the world his
father being an Italian. From the age of
twelve to eighteen he studied at the Col
lege OF AK, and then he and his mother
went to Paris. He remained for two years
at the Lycee LouisIe-Grand, devoting him
self to the study Of French literature. At
the examination for the degree of bachelor
he was plucked because he could not give
the date of the death of CharIemagne.
X, a
a salary of 60 francs a month. The work
was such utter drudgery and the prospect
of Improvement so entirely negative that
after two months of slavery he threw up
the place and for eighteen months led life
of the most miserable bohemianism. Dur
ing that time when he could add to his pen
nyworth of bread a pennyworth of cheese
or a cup of black coffee he considered him
self in luxury. In 1862 through letter of
introduction he got a subordinate position
in the publishing house of Hachette and
thenceforth fortune favored him. Still, pros
perity did not come with rush. He him
self says: LAS late as 1867, when l was
twenty-seven years old, by working very
hard and turning my pen to every use. I
managed to earn about 300 francs $500 a
MONTH"
Fame first came to him when he began to
publish the well-known Rouion- Macquart
series-those stirring, vigorous books which
are ranked by many among the ablest
works of fiction of our time. on this sub
ject he says:
Il had long entertained the desire to imi-
tate Balzac in the execution of a gigantic
series of books like his Human Comedy
The only thing that was lacking was an as
sured income on which TO live While work.
ing This income was guaranteed by an
agreement which | made with the publisher.
Lacroix who offered me 500 francs month
for two years / was to supply him with
two novels a year, and the five hundred
franas a month were to be deducted from
the proceeds of the sale of the novel, in
which L had a share
Il spent several months in reading up the
question Of heredity, or ataVism, because !
had determined on an exposition of the
theory of atavistic influence. The subject
tempted nae because it scientific one
and because nobody could say that ] was
ID. A. In my II nn
body knows anything about 1t.
His theory is that, when men know how