Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-14
NOTES.

n Appleton & co. announce that the
,los,leth edition Of David Harum
brought the total publication OF
~ book to over half million, and
ma also announce that an order has
hen placed for the 9lst edition which
viii hiring the number OF copies printed
m N the enormous total Of 650.500
with the close Of the holiday season
HeaItlons had brought the total 10 537,
M and during January two more edi-
nons were ordered, aggregating 1850,
making $4,000 In ALL
The fame and personality of David,
however have been steadily making an
impression on British readers and has
penetrated wen into the continent So
,,,sM has this foreign demand be-
come that effective measures were re-
ouIred TO meet It and accordingly an
edition the elst. Of 100000 copies, was
decided upon and arrangements have
already been made for Its distribution.
Thus In a single jump the total was
raised 10 over $4,000. With the pos
able exception Of Uncle Toms Cabin,
OF which no accurate figures have ever
been obtainable, no other book ever at
talned The popularity OF David Harum.
II is safe 10 assume that at least two
others besides the purchaser read each
copy sold and on this moderate basis
the number Of people who have made
he acquaintance of the inlmitable
David will reach approximately two
Millions,
Aside from the tale itself. q pathetic
interest attaches TO the circumstances
attending the writing and publication
" this American masterpiece. The
siery has been many times told, and
will be told many times more. The
author, Edward Noyes Westcott, was
nan OF finely organized temperament,
possessed Of a mind above his sur
ronndlngs, yet keenly alive to the hu-
nor and pathos Of daily existence par
tlcularly as revealed TO bank clerk In
small city But 1t was when illness
overlook him that he yielded to the
desire to write finding In II means OF
hllayIng the distress which enforced in
activity would bring to one Of his high
strung nature, Under these circum-
stances, in the summer Of 1895, the book
was begun Limited as he was. to q
nigh school education, In common with
The youth Of his time, although broad
tned by years OF observation and study,
HE work could not attain distinction
on simple literary merit But as to It's
character drawing, its humanity" Is
people, consistent In their inconsisten-
cies no man was better able TO under
take the task OF portraying such COM
poslte picture of American life.
Al times, unable TO battle with the
favages Of disease, the work would be
aid aside to be taken up again during
some brief respite, Toward the end OF
!sss the manuscript was completed.
During these rs months, the characters
had become personal friends OF the
'Uneken author and had frightened
many a weary day as they were de-
'ilned 20 do FOR thousands and thou
ands Of others. But this, Mr. West
,ott never knew For one solid year
ne manuscript Travelled backward and
onward One publisher after another
Ieclined Il until Il had been refused six
Ines Thoroughly discouraged and
uongly tempted to believe that It
ould have no interest for anyone but
HIMSELF he determined to make one
more attempt resolved that II again
eiurned Il would be consigned to the
nate. The climax was reached and
vas dramatic In It's fulilment, The
eYenln publishing house 10 whom II