Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-07
SUCCESS WON BY THE TITLE
How the Author of 1.-THE Choir Invisible"
Forced His Way to the Front.
PERSONAL STUDY OF JAMES LANE ALLEN
Fierce Battle for Literary hec"S"
tion-Why He Writes Apo"t N
tucky-Where He WORKS III
Washington and HOW.
PERSONAL STUDY OF JAMES LANE ALLEN

Every afternoon, whether the sun shlnes
or not, a tall dgnified gentleman WALKS
down the stone steps OF a pam -looh'ns
private residence at 1927 street, IN WASH
ington and disappears along one OF the au-
,ocent avenues. He Is erect and almost
soldierly in appearance, his nair is gray anu
his mustache shows the white marks oi
time There is kindly but fearless loon
in the eyes that twinkle behind the gold
trimmed spectacles. The dignlty OF ue-
meanor and innate charm of manner
strongly suggest the southern gentleman OF
n type fast passing away. This tall gentle-
wan "a the most celebrated Kentuckian IN
washington, and one of the most successful
writers OF fiction of the last decade of the
nineteenth century.
Ten years ago James Lane Allen was
tasting the first fruits OF hard-earned
literary success, and was emerging from
struggle with poverty such as Few Amerl-
can authors have known. with MS own
hand and brain he has made Tor himselt
way that is now one of distinguished ease.
He has probably reached a wider audience
than any living American writer and in
strange contrast with the scope OF his hear
ing is the absolute lack of knowledge con-
corning his life A vast clientele knows
him as the author of book that has passed
the hundredth thousand. but 1t is quite
another thing to be in touch with the tenn
perament OF the man who created John
Gray and the sweet sisterhood that has for
It's ornaments Sister Dolorosa and Amy Fall
coner.
A certain reserve has characterized James
Lane Allen, precluding the encroachments
of a curious public. His own life has re-
mained the thing apart from his success.
and as that success has crowded him more
and more into the worlds gaze he has
remained the same dignifed gentleman as
when in the years ago he walked hand in
hand through the Bluegrass fields with the
children of his fancy. He is thoroughly
identified in life and letters with Kentucky,
and his triumph has not meant an aliena-
tion from the original locale"
Years have passed since he last lived in
Kentucky and far from his own people
drew their pictures and opened his gallery
TO the reading world. In the Ayondale hills
OF Cincinnati, where the hills of Kentucky
were only misty blue across the Ohio, he
wrote the idylls OF that commonwealth and
in New York and in Washington he has done
the work that has put him in the front rank
of American literary men.
In a pleasant room on the third floor of
the house at 1927 street Allen is working
on what he calls his first novel, 1t is a
CHEEKY apartment with large window fac
ing the northwest and absolutely bare of
ornaments. There are no books around
not even a photograph. Through the win
dow there is view of house tops, with
here and there patch of green and an
occasional elump Of trees. Every morning
at o'clock finds the author at his desk
which stands alongside the window. From
O'Clock until noon Allen is hard at work
All his work is done with stub pen. 1t Is
later copied by his stenographer He write:
leisurely and with great care. He never
allows himself to be hurried and is one Of
the few authors who are absolutely blind tC
the beck OF the publisher, The first drafi