The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-14
A LETTER

Ny dear walter--Let me ask you q
turn back the pages OF memory until yot
reach that one upon which is inscribed
the record OF our first night in camp or
the banks OF Massabesic. You remembel
that we named the beautiful spot
"Idaua," and you will recall the won
drous aurora which so brilliantly ilu-
minated the broad expanse OF the heav-
ems, which covered US as we rocked gent
ly In our boat. waiting vainly for the
nibble which never came. What night
that was! We did not catch anything
not even cold. thanks to our warm car
difans-but we gaxed upon tho gaudy
panorama in the skies and felt the little
ness OF self. as man ever must when
viewing the marvels OF nature.
But the northern lights dmmed and
died away at last. and we talked of lesser
things finally reaching that ever absorb
Ing topic. our own work In time we dis
cussed certain stories which i had al
ready published. and l remember how Sc
verely you criticised what you called my
stupid soaring into the realms OF the
impossible" when. In your opinion. you
thought that ought rather TO confine
myself to The probabilities of everyday
Life"
How often during that holiday did you
use the phrase "in all human probability
TIL at last we all made Jest OF your habit.
when finally you slenced me by saying.
AT any rate, your stories are not within
human probability"
Well. my FREUD. have often thought
over your words. even though / have not
yet been convinced that the most inter-
esting phases OF human life are those
which are of most comnon occurrenca
After all, the main object OF fiction Is TO
entertain, and. even though a little In
suuctive lesson may be deftly interviewer
with the plot, ! fear that the modern
novel Is sometimes too highly spiced with
philosophic dissertations. And in seeking
20 entertain is II not best to offer some
thing out OF the common. something a
little different from the dull routine OF
daily experience?
send you herewith copy of my new
etCry. With what zest you VIII rush
through It's pages seeking for incidents
which may not be within human proba-
bihtyf But / warn you that in these
pages there are hidden many traps for |
you The plot Is purely fiction, but every !
character has prototype In life. Those
inciderts which you will be most eager
TO call impossible" have all happened.
You may doubt whether a founding !
may become an heiress TO 100000 and |
may also develop into a society lady. but |
the original OF this character was a debu- |
tante last season. and the main facts are
true.
You may doubt the possibility Of the
Burglars Social union. but the floating
gambling saloon fiourished In our harbor
very recently. and visited Il in COM
pany with man who Is practically at
the head of the criminal fraternity of the
This man is a college grad 4
nAfa hQQ nA ha
dominates a great band OF crooks" so
that. however implicated he may be in
their crimes. they never peach" but
when convicted serve their sentences
without betraying this master hand On
that boat met at least 30 men whom So
ciety would like to see In Sing Sing.
But I do not intend to point out all the !
pitfalls for you. Go ahead with your
search for 'impossibilities." and when
you have found them all send your list |
TO me. and ! will gleefully tell you, for !
your bewilderment. which have been bor- |
rowed from life.
Another word. know that you dislike |,
dialect" and / agree with you IN the /
main. Nevertheless dialect" Is some /
times essential. 1t should never be the OBJ !
1eot Of the story teller TO show his ac- !
Quaintance with people who distort Eng |
Iish. but when an author reaches a local. /
lty where all love OF grammar is dead IL ,
would be absurd for him to put rounded |
periods In the mouths OF his characters.
Therefore excuse the language OF my |
''s,um people" Just one thing more. You !
may write to me that "slum people" do |
not speak even as well as I make them. !
but your views are taken from the Bow (
sry tough OF stageland. and believe me (,
that In a hundred visits 10 the poverty {
dhuicts have never met that exagger- |
lted individual Very sincerely yours,
RODRIGUES OTTOLENGUI.