Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-15


alton.
How far does an authors license ex-
tend in characteri2ng persons who
have actually lived but whose names
alone have come down to our genera
ton? This question has been raised
by Mr. William FarQuhar paysons
novel John VITAL, In which, AS II Is a
tale OF the lost colony Of Roanoke he
has necessarily drawn entirely on his
imagination for characters but has
freely used the colonists uames that
have been preserved The name Of
Ananas Dare, for instance. Is recorded
as belonging to one OF the colony's
twelve assistants, yet nothing con
corning the mans nature Is known,
He may have been courageous and
upright, though the author portrays
him as a coward and prohigate. on
this point, Mr. Payson has evidently
felt some computations In reply 10 the
question What If In the next world
this Ananias should rise up to CON
denim you for Decorating his memory
and debaslng his Nance" Mr. Payson
says, MY excuse will be that the name
Ananlas should have perforce and 10y
tradition belonged to an unpleasant
sort OF person, whether II did or not.
also that, foreseeing his indictment,
| took good care In the preface TO state
that the conception Of his character
was my own Nevertheless the pro-
spect Of Master Ananias' accusation is
certainly conducive TO nightmares.
When the autograph fend writes to
Miss Julia Marlowe, and asks for her
signature he receives In return a neat
little leatlet which informs him that If
he viii send fifty cents IN silver as a
contrbut on 10 the Actors Fund Of Am
erica. In the welfare OF which Miss Mar
low Is deeply interested he VIII receive
the coveted autograph This is an adj
mirable arrangement. and similar
custom Is followed by a few literary
men who are besieged by such re-
quests. For autographs even OF living
men and women Of distinction, are oft
on salable, and publishers recognize
this fact. When the Harpers recently
brought out Mr.. Howells's Literary
Friends and Acquaintance" they issued
an autograph edition with special bind
ing, In every volume Of which Mr., How
ellis wrote his name, with the result
that the edition was sold out at once
at $500 a copy as against $3.50 for the
regularly bound and unsigned edition.
The same course WAS successfully fol-
lowed with Mrs Humphrey Wards
Eleanor"
A reviewer IN The Outlook thinks he
has discovered that the author Of The
story Of Eva is a woman. To be sure.
the name Of the author. VIII Payne,
suggests pseudonym and the extra
ordinary understanding Of feminine
character the book discloses suggests a
woman's hand, but the publishers Of
fer positive assurance that the author
is masculine. Mr. Payne was at one
time city editor Of the Chicago News.
one of the editors Of the Economist OF
chicago, and Is the author Of some
clever stories in The Atlantic and
McClure's,
Harper Bros, publish the following
note IN regard to a new writer:
sometimes new note appears In
some quiet little story or poem which.
though nnnoticed M first, Is recorded
IN ailer-years as the first effort Of
writer who won subsequent fame. IL
luStrati0ns Of this could be cited I'm
the case OF many Of our well known
ana popular authors, but it IL a greater
pleasure 10 dare at the outset TO rec
ognize a new note In literature and to
declare II, II is with this reflection
that we call attention to an unpreten-
tious little story called "Larkspur.' by
Mary AppleWhite Bacon which appears
the June number Of Harpers Maya
zine. 1t Is the first time, II we mis-
take not, that the name Of this author
has appeared over any printed contri-
button. But the quality Of her work
makes a distinct impression on the
faded reader OF magazine stories. It
Is all so simple, so quiet in its sub
dued comedy so poignant in its hushed
pathos, so true and uplifting in its
faith in goodness. Such writer's who
can sustain belief in the best in hui
man nature and also see It through the
eyes of beauty are few and far be-
tween, and we certainly hope to have
more stories in this vein from the pen
of this new writer.
George Horton author OF Like An
other Helen" the popular romance Of
the Cretan war, and exhibited States
consul to Athens, knows a compliment
when he receives 1t and responds to 1t
with an appreciation which has in It
touch Of poetic Justice.
Shortly after he returned from Athens
and became literary editor Of the Chi
cago Times Herald he began the pub
lication. in serial form, of Like An
other Helen" The author has a strong
81
Saturday provided an extra fine fowl
OF this kind for his Sunday dinner. His
appetite was well attuned TO do Justice
to this fayorite dish, and shortly before
the fowl was to be served he was hor-
rihed to catch the odor of burning
meat.
Instantly there was a rush 10 the
kitchen where the cook was found in
tears and the goose burned almost TO
cinders. When the penitent domestic
regained sufficient control Of herself TO
speak she confessed that she had be-
come so engrossed in a story that she
had entirely forgotten the roasting
fowl. In proof Of the eXtenuating cir
she drew from under her
apron a paper containing Mr.. Horizons
serial
- lew lhlNh WufNNlNUh fNlt bllNlltl lilH
fact that she had not noticed the name
Of the author Before this discovery the
dismissal OF the cook had been q sealed
verdict, but, In justice to the force and
delcacy OF the compliment thus paid
Mr., Horizons powers as a narrator, the
verdict was set aside, and the cook
escaped with warning that her litera
ny tastes must thereafter be held IN
subsection until the family dinner was
safe on the table.
A case OF interest 10 de luxe edition
buyers Is reported in a recent issue Of
the Buffalo Courier Mr.. Ralph Bow
man, OF Rochester, was sued by the
OF the firm OF George !
Barrie & Son because OF his refusal TO
pay for a so-called limited edition of |
the Works Of Balzac Mr.. Bowman |
proved that the publishers had issued /
two or three other de luxe editions Of /
Balzac, printed from the same type |
and on the same paper, the only diff |
ference being In the style OF illustra- |
lions and binding On this evidence |
the court decided that the publishers |
had no cause for action.
For years bookmen have We'd with |
each other to make de luxe editions |
which would contain distinctive feat |