Evening star., 1901-11-06
A U 7 0 GRAPH FlENDS
THEY ARE WELCOMED BY THE
YOUNG WRITER'S.
Some of the Personal Traits of Well
known Men and WO-
men.
From the New York Mail and Express.

| From the New York Mail and Express.
| The autograph fiend' is not such a rep
rehensible person one is likely to be-
| lleVe. and, indeed, by the young author,
fresh with the first glow of success, his
missives are received with delight 1t is
from the new aspirant for fame that he
! usually acquires the most important and, in
time, valuable returns for his always re-
pectful and modest request
The young writer sometimes answers
with gush from heart as full as the one
that has expressed admiration for his at
talnments. He will respond with something
| more than mere name scrawled on card.
Instead he writes a few precious words,
which after he has become truly great the
fortunate recipient never fails to exhibit
proudly to his friends. Sometimes he an
sWers with hearty letter Of thanks for
the request. and thus a correspondence Of
ten is developed
Through this means many persons have
OBTAINED truly remarkable and valuable COL
lections of autographs, and it is interesting
to read the original and striking words
written by pens, some of which are now
wOrld-renowned.
One young woman, with small lack OF
talent herself after buying copy of one
of Opie Reads works. took it to the au-
thor, whom she knew personally. To her
request for his autograph the author OF
THE Jucklins'' and The Kentucky Col
onep' responded generously. He wrote on
the fly leaf of his book:
ITO Miss
"a woman with that strange quality
genius!'
The same young woman is the happy pos
SCISSOR of the following pithy bit of advice
from Hamlin Garland:
You have a letter in your pocket ad-
dressed to poSterty. Deliver it,.
Lew Wallace Quoted Freely.
Lew Wallace, when responding to re-
quests for his autograph. quoted sometimes
an entire paragraph from one of his books.
Joaquin Miller gave his! autograph grudg-
ingly, but them he was not approached
easily, either personally or through the
mails, in his LITTLE log cabin in the noun
tains Of Dimond. California.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, who was rather
diminutive in size, when approached by
man Of big dimensions. turned in his chair,
and looking up over bis spectacles, said:
'Sir, what deep designs have you on me?'
When told that his caller merely wished
to interview him and to obtain his auto
Table wrote: oThist autograph is written
by dictation offs twSs hundred and fifty
pounds of masepiinNs flesh, muscle ana
James Lane Allen, with the customary
simplicity of hislnatuYe. usually wrote be-
fore his name merely the words, VERY sin
cerely yours" Nm autograph much treas
ured by young Vassar girl is that Of
James Whitcomb Riley. Gods hand on
the helm and His breath In the sails" wrote
the Hooser poet.
But to return to the autographs Of lesser
known writer's. whose words some day will
pe OF great value. In one instance young
essayist, whose genius was recognized by
the London Academy, and by many men Of
letters In America, but whose career In
America was brought to a tragic close by
ptifui death, the result Of reyerses and fail
ures IN his literary ventures. wrote on the
'hyleaf of his book to q sister-in-law:
1t Is good to have sister-in-law who
Will read your work, for the predestinated
relatives OF an author are generally callous
and Indifferent to his madness. so hope
In reading this little bundle of essays you
Will fnd something to satisfy a kindly
curiosity
Prayed to BE Read.
To the first call that came for his auto
graph In his book he responded:
Thank God for reader! This is my