The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-25
.[|GHTON'S GOOD LUCK
Omaha Writer Whose First Venture
Was Success.
NO DELAY FOR HIM
THOUGH UNKNOWN, PUBLISH
ERS WELCOMED HIS STORY.
1t Is Romance of the Kansas Bor-
der, Subject That Few Years
Ago Would Have Destroyed Ut
terly the Books Chances-Crock-
ett's Last Story.

New York, June ell don't know that
new instances to prove that publishers
are quick enough to accept work of
unknown writer's, when the work itself
gives fair promise of proving accept
able to the reading public. But a new
one has lately come to my knowledge
that is worth reciting even though it
may not be needed for argument. Mr..
William r. Lighton of Omaha, Neb
VINO has never yet published a book
nor, indeed, anything that have given
MIN distinct name and identity with
publishers, Int to a New York house
not long since, without introduction,
the manuscript of a novel and had the
satisfaction of getting an almost i'm
mediate acceptance; and the book will
De brought out early in the fall 1t is
entitled, Sons of Strength: A Romance
OF the Kansas Border Wars" Pie
young author had been working on it
as otner employmentS permitted for
ABOUT two years. He did not trouble
hlmseif particularly about publishers.
out having got in his mind a good idea
OF what he wanted to do, worked away
steadily and sincerely. leaving the
mai result to take care of itself
In this instance of Mr. Lighton. how
ever. there is another interesting thing
Illustrated besides the readiness of
puDnSherS to accept the work of I'M
known writer's, and that is the growing
appreciation, with both writer's and
publishers, of the value of nearby ma
ter1al for literary uses. A few years
ago the mere suggestion of a novel. of
the Kansas border war would have
turned a publishers back and no
author would have had the hardihood
10 make it. Of the general character of
his story Mr.. Lighton himself SAYS:
In planning and executing the tale
IL was my desire to portray a group of
strong, simple honest men and women
engaged in a struggle for honor and
for livelihood on new soil. at a. time
and place and under circumstances
calculated to bring out manly qualities
at their best. Kansas was really a.
only one of the Missouri states
or territories which was pioneered by
men whose manhood was devoted to
the support of a large. humanizing
thought; therefore / chose for my field
the territory of Kansas in that time
which Immediately followed the repeal
of the Missouri compromise, and the
passage of the Kansas Nebraska act in
lSoi 1t has seemed to me that this
field offered splendid opportunities for
portraying the essentials of good,
heroic manhood-which 1 like TO be-
lieve is the natural and normal man.
hood
John Brown is one of the characters,
and referring to this fact, Mr.. Lighton
said: I'm any attempt to realize the
spirit of that time the personality of
Brown must necessarily figure for he
was, in fact. the dominant spirit of
those early days. and traces of his
influence still endure. But
as an instrument for working out. the
plot of the story Brown is kept per-
haps wisely. in the background
1t is always a good deal of specula-
ton TO base a publishing contract with
an author on previous success of his.
The fact seems to have had interesting
in the case of General Lew
Wallace and his last novel. The Prince
of India" 1 was told the other day
General Wallace had about finished the
novel and began to negotiate for It's
publication, he fixed his desires on the
neat sum of $1,000 down. For over ten
years Ben Hur'' had been maintaining
its popularity, and had reached a gross
sale of upward of half q million copies.
There had been from General Wallace's
pen no novel since. Certainly it was a
case in which publishers would seem
to have been we'll warranted in bidding
high. But 500, 600, Even in these eX-
pansive days it looks to be a good deal
Of money. Several publishers consid-
cred the matter, but none of them
could muster up quite enough courage
for the venture. Finally there was a
Harper & Bros, the pub
fishers of Ben Hur," took the new
book, but not at quite 500 COG down
They agreed to pay $4,000 a year for
ten years For the first year or two as
understand, they didn't fare badly on
their contract. On the strength of the |
authors previous reputation the book |
sold largely. But latterly il. has not |
lone so well. Still it is not 10 be con-
GUIDED that the publishers won't emerge |
happily in the end, for. after all, The |
Prince of India" is very much liked by