Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-21
TALES OF OLD VINCENNES.
While maurice Thompson Was at
Work Another Used the Field,

Work Another Used the Field.
While the late Maurice Thompson
was weaving his romance of Alice of
Old Vincennes another man, the edi-
tor of an Illinois country newspaper
was writing almost identically the
same story, and writing it not fifty
miles from the Indiana authors home.
While Mr.. Thompson had been enjoy
ing the prestige which followed the
large sales of his novel, his uncon-
scious rival had been vainly seeking
a publisher for a book whose thunder
had been most effectually stolen. The
story of the race between two writer's,
neither of whom knew the other was
entered" and each of whom thought
he had the field exclusively to himself,
may have a parallel in the dim annals
of literature of the weird records of
telepathy; but assuredly no news.
paper man ever had a bigger "hard
luck story" to tell.
Robert Paris Harrison, is the name
of Mr.. Thompson's luckless competi-
tor; Danville, H., his town; and the
Danville Evening Commercial his
newspaper. Mr.. Harrison, like other
newspaper men with ambitions, has
had to snatch the fruit of his aspira-
tons between frenzied scribbling of
copy" or in the blissful hours after
press time, or while wrangling with
some booted farmer over the price of
subscription. Three years ago a
romance began to take shape in his
mind, and rushing blindly on to his
fate he chose eighteenth century
Vincennes for the scene of his story
and stormy events of the revolution at
the old frontier post as the principal
theme; Gaping the unfortunate eli
max by selecting Post of Old Vincen-
mes as the title. Throughout the three
years he strOve to finish the work,
experiencing all the sinkings of heart,
the bursts of enthusiasm and reac-
tons, and the rising to logged pre-
sistence which every author knows.
II wrote on it until September" he
told a friend, when it was COM
pleted and turned over to a typewriter
to copy. About week later ap-
peared large announcement Of
Maurice Thompson's book. My spirits
naturally went down after having
been at high notch for three years ,
Only one hope remained to Mr.. Har-
rison after this blow, and that was
the possibility that Alice of Old ViT
cennes would bear so little resemb-
lance to his own book in plot that he
might still be justified in offering Post
of Old Vincennes to a buyer. When
Thompson's book appeared that hope
faded. The same historical material,
most of the same military characters,
similar intermingling of war and
romance, and a like use of topical
data appeared in the much-lauded
Thompson book as in the dusty
manuscript in the newspaper mans
Office desk.
How the Indiana author came to
select his material, has not been made
public, but the man, who, forty-five
miles across the State line, was
struggling with the same facts Mr..
Thompson was making such brilliant
use of, makes a confession. For one
thing, he spent much of his youth in
and around Vincennes: and then he
came to realize, in his own words,
"the eXcellency of that material for
historical romance" In working the
material into shape, in visiting the
old town to be sure of his local
color" he became more and more con-
fident he had struck the right lead,
aud he says: II felt all the time the
critics would have to say just what
| they are saying, but the trouble is 1t
| is not of my book they are saying it.
| 1t is curious to see how closely the
story of Alice of Old Vincennes is re-
produced in Mr.. Harfison's tale. In
both Colonel George Rogers Clark ap-
pears in a leading role. In both the
stirring military operations of that
| leader in and around Vincennes are
| dwelt upon.
Post of Old Vincennes opens with
| the stabbing of John Garrett, one of
| George Rogers Clark's lieutenants, by
a drunken Indian. Garrett has been
sent by Clark-the date being July,
1777-to asceI tain the real feeling OF
| the French inhabitants toward their
British rulers, and to gain their good
| will toward the American cause. He
receives his wound in defending 10
settle Chabrat, daughter of the wealth
| lest French trader of the post, and
while being cared for at her fathers
house he falls in love with her, only
to be forced to flee arrest as spy be-
fore he learns his love is requited.
The attempted arrest is instigated by
Lieutenant Gallois, young French
officer in the employ of the British as
an inciter OF Indian attacks, on the