The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-12

that suck was his happy fate at birth
and that the world has refused to see
his greatness since
Max Pemberton insists on having q
story to tell Barry Pain wa8Eishly
advises the aspirnnt to write q novel
which shall become popular; Hamlfa
Garland, Cy Warman, Stewart Edward
White, Owen Wfster, and q host Of
own county believe that one should fra
live the life and then tell it truly.
Booth Harrington exclaims, You must
minds eye Curiousiy enough. Mr..
Harrington pictures all of his stories
out first on paper and then proceeds to
the writing.
Wasn't it Kip1ing who said: There
are 10000 ways of inditing tribal lays.
and ever single one of them is right"
There is young lawyer about to take
Ex-Governor Altgeld's place In promi-
nent Chicago law firm. named Mr..
Brand Whitlock, who, besides being a
capable lawyer, deserves also to be
ranked as one of the best political fic-
ton writers living. The truth of this
statement has doubtless been impressed
upon the minds of many who have read
his short stories in the magazines.
though the fact escaped the notice of
many. No one, however, who reads
The Thirteenth District will mistake
the authors standing, for this first book
Is wonderful picture of one phase of
politics, and the story which runs
through the book has all the elements
of actually. Indeed. Mr.. Whitlock's
high standing as political fictionist
comes from the fact that he writes POI
Htical truth His characterizations in
THE Thirteenth District are doubtless
pen portraits Once the author allows
himself an expression of his apprecia-
ton of Altgeld under a thinly yelled
guise.
Mr.. whitlock was for several years a
moi mn RIir in 100
and also in Springfield as legislative
correspondent. En- his first long story
he has chosen the Thirteenth district of
Illinois and the tale relates the rise,
progress and downfall of a congress-
man. The book has not been recog-
nized properly as yet, but it will be,
and the future work of the author may
be watched with much expectation
Webster Davis, formerly of South
Africa in the consular service and later
fuIl-hedged Boer lecturer in this
country is said to claim that the royal
ties on his Boer war book have netted
him $4,000. If his royalty was 10 per
cent, this would mean 1000 900 copies.
Perhaps, however, Mr.. Davis received
20 per cent on his work, in which case
100000 copies of his first work were
purchased.
Evidently, remarks a sympathetic
one, there was some conspiracy against
Mr.. Davis, for at no time has his book
bccn OdttcQ 0S d lTSt setter Dy the Qea1-
ers. Perhaps Mr.. Davis was merely
misquoted- What he probably meant
was that he had received $3.50 in royal
ties.
Apropos of the recent publication OF
a life of William Black, the novelist,
the British Medical Journal gives some
interesting comment on the writer's
habit of consulting medical specialists
regarding the diseases of his characters.
He had horror of carelessness and
scamped work; > he never subjected
one of his characters to any abnormal
conditions without satisfying himself
that his description of those conditions
was scientifically accurate. According
ly we do not find in Blacks novels such
absurdities as the use of the stomach
pump in the treatment of poisoning by
the hypodermic injection of morphine,
as described the other day by the auth
or of a story appearing in a recent
magazine; or 'pyemia' classed with the
| pleura, the thorax and the clavicle as
| parts of the human anatomy, as is done
| in Mr. George w. Cables latest novel
The Cavalier 1t is not every novelist
| of course, who can in any difficulty ap-
peal to one of the shining lights of med
| zeal science. But all can use reasona h,f
care not to go wildly wrong. Gustavs
| Flaubert, who had himself studied med.
| icine, took extraordinary pains to gel
| medical details accurate, and NJ lola
/! as might be expected, laboriousfy gets
| up his facts Thus, when he wishes te
| describe the death of Mana, from small
| pox, we find him writing to a friend fol
| reference to detailed descriptions of tbs
| disease. But although his industry il
| collecting documents is beyond praise
| in medical matters he is too apt to rely
| on the light of nature for their interpre
] tatfon- Hence, as in 'Lourdes' his crav
| ing for realistic effect, unrestrained b.
| practical knowledge of skilled advice
makes him draw pictures of diseas,
| which have no counterpart in clinica
| or pathological fact. In connection witt
| this subject it may be mentioned tina
| not long ago an American novels
thought himself exceedingly il1-used be
cause his family doctor, of whom h
| had sought counsel as to the right man
ner of disposing of one of the creature
Of his fancy. afterward sent him bill
| for professional services. Would tn
novelist admit any right on the par
| Of the doctor TO ask him to write
short story for notfing?''