The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-23
NEN STORIES
ABOUT Z(GA
Money-Side Was Not Upper
most in Him.
DISLIKE OF AMERICA
Because His Works Were
Stolen Here.
DISLIKE OF AMERICA
The New York Post -.

who have been slurred in the same wav.
lola felt that his literary work should
De adequately paid. 1 never heard him or
saw him place money above art. but he
Old believe that art should produce money.
He employed II In embellishing his Paris
and Medan homes which-were crowded
? overcrowded indeed, with art objects that
were not always artistic He always
needed money, and. during the past few
years, was more than once financially
embarrassed. But could cite many
examples that came under my observa-
ton Of Emil Zola's total disregard Of
pounds, shiliings and pence The tempt
ing offers OF various kinds that came To
him from America and England. after his
Infamous trial had made him famous.
were not considered for an instant-in
which respect. by the way. ne differed
dismetrically from another distinguished
Dreyfussard- From beginning to end. he
would not make sou from the celebrated
AFFAIR, when he could easily have coined
thousands Of francs This disinterested-
ness Was carried so far that he not only
refused compensation for the powerful
broadsides delivered through the columns
OF the AurOre. but permitted the owner
OF the impecuious> sheet to reap all the
benefit of increased sales and simultane-
Gus publication abroad. Nor were these
profits Insignificant.
lola used to feel rather bitter towards
America. but not wholly because he got
none OF ours dollars. He once wrote me
that he had long ago abandoned all hope
Of doing business with the United Sta
ties. For may years have been promised
returns from the other side of the Allan
tic. but so far have not seen even the
tail of anything. The only thing that is
perfectly clear is. that they rob me la-bas
VOLTA tout" Nor was his dissa tisfaction
with America due simply to the pirated
editions OF his books He told me on
one occasion that tales Of which he never
wrote line were foisted upon the Ameri-
can public as his. and, he added i fear
snd tremble lest my enemies here bring
them Out in French dress. This would
indeed be adding insult to injury" So
when, In recent years, two respectable
New York publishers issued authorized
editions Of some of his novels. lola was
much pleased. but not so much on ac-
count of the money which came to him
as because he felt that he was now in
a digniied position in America. Conse- (
quentiy he was the more deeply wounded +
when this past season the proofs of his 1
forthcoming story were declined both in I
New York and in Philadelphia.
lola was often even generous with his I
money. 7 well remember the very deli (
cate way in which he referred one day
TO A translator Of one of his stories who
had "collared" Cola used the equivalent /
French slang world two thousand francs
which a too-confding publisher had left
with the translator for transmission to /
the novelist. I know he needs the money !,
more than do remarked lola. but il
he is again selected 70 do the translating /
I must ask that moneys intended for me /
be not sent via that panier perez"
After returning from his exile in Eng /
land. Zoia was sorely I'm need of funds /
and I judged that then was the opportune /
time 10 reinvite him to prepare for a +
prominent periodical some essays which
had been promised for a number of years. I
Rut, with the utter disregard for money !
which I ever found him 20 have. he plea /
ded, as always. that he was too busy on /
the nov then under way. However,
and this the real reason [ cite the in
cident-he was finally induced to yield. [
through curiosity to try a plan which 1 /
laid before him n most eloquent terms,
namely. debating 10 n stenographer lie
thought that perhaps ne might find here
relief from the mechanical drudsery Of
composition, but. ! must confess. he was
not very confident that such would be the
case. And the result justified his mis-
trust I appeared early one morning Mt
Zola's house accompanied by an excellent
stenographer and found the author wait
ing for US in his study with several slips
Of papers in his hand. covered with topi-
cal notes. I soon left the two men alone
and the next day the stenographer sent
me the typewriter result OF the morn
tng's lictation In the same post came a
letter from lola asking to see the copy.
though, according TO our original plan
and in order not TO consume more Of
the authors valuable time. he was will
ing TO forego revision on the ground
that. as the article was to appear In
foreign language. the literary style of the
original was in1material. But 1. Of course
FASTENED 10 comply with his request and
two days later the manuscript came
hack TO me so black with corrections
e....,tions and erasures that a clean copy
had 70 be made before II could be sent
70 the translator. lola never again tried
debating
Let me offer another example OF Zola's
in giving a hgh polish
20 his literary work ] stood directly
behind him when he spoke at Alphonse
Daudets grave. one cold winters day in
the Pere Iachaise cemetery. As he read
from the manuscript written in that
hold. black chirography which reflected
the energy and daring q the man I read
II 100. following him line by line and pase
nv mage. When the account OF the funeral
appeared in the Temps ! remarked one
or two notable differences between the
printed and written speech which I had
SO carefully perused. I knew this could
not be attributed 10 stenography. for the
TEMPS was in press almost before We
cr,tted The cemetery snd 50 had been
given in advance a copy Of the speech. 1
asked for an explanation which | had
already OWNED and this IS what lola
wrote me-: Just before starting for Pere
l.achaise. / could not refrain from touch
ing up ny manuscript. which had
thrown of the night before.
At this moment the Dreyfus affair was
only beginning. but. Zola. as was his
normal condition. was under a literary
cloud and engaged IN that singular cam
lafgn OF trying 10 force the French
.ader.v TO elect him to membership
ssavery vacancy he stood as a candidate
= the number OF his supporters could be
SLY counted on the fingers Of one hand.