The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-25
just the class of readers that gave Ben

just the class of readers that gave Ben
Hur" its great sale.
Mr.. S. r. Crockett has just sent over
from England the manuscript OF ms
newest novel, and it proves to be In
some measure an American story. 1t Is
a rather rollicking, and, OF course, since
it is Mr.. Crockett's, decidedly adven-
turous tale, somewhat of the kind or
THE Raiders" The hero, Peter Will
hanson, is kidnapped from Aberdeen as
boy, brought to Philadelphia and sold
as a slave. His life on an American
plantation, his escape to the Indians.
and his adventures among them ard MS
meeting and relations with the heroine
furnish no end of romantic matter Tor
the continuation of the tale. The hero
inc, too, is from Scotland. She has come
over in the hope of finding her mother,
who has been transported Tor particl-
patton in a. cruel murder.
Mr.. Crockett says that he derived the
story partly from the Aberdeen records,
partly from the hero'S personal MEM
oirs. which he himself possesses, and
partly from recently discovered pri-
vate sources" 1t will appear through
the summer and fall in a number OF
newspapers, and then be issued in book
form. 1t will here bear the title, The
Isle of the Winds" but in England II
is to be called Little Anna Mark"
DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes saying
that every man has in him the ma
terial for at least one good novel is
illustrated in a former mayor OF Ban
gor, Me-, Mr.. F. A Cummings. who has
written a novel of the Underground
Railway that is likely to be found one
of the most absorbing tales that has
lately appeared. 1t relates the proceed
ings of two men living in a Louisiana
parish who undertook, not from prin-
ciple or any philanthropic motives on
their own part, but as a simple COM
mercial compact and venture--to de-
liver negro slaves into the hands OF an
abolition society in the north. In pur-
suance of their contract. and by virtue
of their holiness and ingenuity, they
succeeded in delivering many large
''conSignmentS," so to say; and were
able to withdraw from their business at
last richer and more respected in their
community for an experience that
would have brought them death. if not
death by torture, had one-hundredtn
part of their doingS ever been brought
home to them
1 have called it novel. but it is, in
deed, largely true story On leaving
school, Mr. Cummings went to sea as
sailor before the mast He had all the
big adventures that sailors of that early
day usually had, and came in contact
with al breeds and Municipalities OF
lawless and adventurous men. He came
to know a good deal of the
slave trade and those engaged in 1t.
The slave trade at this time, he says,
was on the wane, but still quite strong,
and employed a number of swift sail
ing vessels, Differed and manned by
men who feared nothing and loved
their calling" Important parts of this
story he derived from this experience.
Then, for some years before the out
break of the civil war, he was en-
gagged in railroad construction in Louis
lana; and this supplied him with other
important material. The story is to be
published serially next fall, and then
will appear as a book. 1t is entitled
THE Path Beyond the Levee."
l learned the other day that the tri-
umphant season which Sir Henry Irv
ing has been having as Robespierre in
his London theatre, the Lyceum, this |
spring, he in part owes to little acct
dent and an American. Shortly before
he recovered from his recent illness, Sir
Henry received a cable from Charles
Henry Meltzer, the New York critic and
asking him for a short lease
of the Lyceum this spring, for the pur
pose of producing a romantic Anglo |
India play, in verse, written by Mr.. |
MeltZer. Irving cabled back, offering |
the Lyceum for April and May. The !
offer was accepted, and Mr.. Meltzer had |
begun preparations for his production |
when the sudden illness of the actress |
engaged to play the leading part COM |
PEELED an abandonment of the project |
until the autumn. Immediately after |
this, Sir Henry heard that Sardou had |
"Robespierre." and decided |
to himself use the time that was tc |
have been Mr. MeltZers
The discussion now going on over |
Robespierre" gives interest to Sar-
1ous manner of writing a play. AS |
described by personal friend of his |
who had every means of knowing, his |
method of work is as follows:
1.-The moment an idea has occurred to
him he puts it down, and all the var
ous notes, documents, particulars
which have to do with this idea are
Joined together, forming a sort of dos
sier. When the idea is crystalliZed into
dramatic shape Sardou writes a seem
irio of a few pages. giving the skele
ION, as it were, of the whole play. Then |
ne puts the work aside. All his various
schemes are treated in the same way.
He has at the present day from seventy
20 eighty dossiers in his drawers, out OF
which eight or ten plays will come. So.
when he has to write a drama or COM
,dy, he only chooses. For instance,
Theodore" was written fifteen years
after it originated in the authors mind
"As soon as Sardou's choice is made
lie reads over all the accompanying
notes and documents which pertain tc
hat play. and then he begins to write
he drama or comedy, act by act, scene
~ scene, as they come into his mind !
When he has done this preliminary
work he rewrites the piece on large
white quarto paper. The play is then
educed and condensed. 1t is this sec
md manuscript which is given to the
opyist, to whom is entrusted the care
# putting it in shape"
E. c. MARTIN.