The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-16

The paper was thus prepared and when
1t was read to the club. the supposed
author was lavished with praises and
more papers were demanded The same
gentleman wrote these for her and it
was not long before the lady's remark
able literary ability was the subject Of
common talk. The long novel was her
next venture, by unknown proxy, and
this volume will shortly be published
Doubtless her friends and acquaintance
Will compliment the supposed author on
her style and execution, and she will be-
gin to be known outside of her own city
as a writer of some ability.
| 1t is difficult to understand how this
woman harmonizes this sort Of thing
with an otherwise well-regulated and
proper life. If the hack" had been en-
gagged collaboration or assistant or edi-
tor of her work. then she could have had
| the feeling that practically everything
good in the book was hers, but this fat
| tering JUNCTION cannot be hers
There is, in fact, too much unevenness
| in the distribution of credit for literary
| merits great many magazine articles
which bear the name of well known peo-
| pie are so revised and edited before pub
| LEGATION that a DISTINGUISHED person would
have difficulty in recognizing the origi-
| nails And it is a curious fact that the
/ authors invariably accept the improved
| matters entirely their own
| Not long ago magazine editor secured
| the promise of an article from an ad-
| miral in the United States Navy. A steno-
| grapher was engaged to take down the
naval officers dictation and some thous-
ands of words of rambling conversation
| were thus recorded. The matter was writ
| ten out and read aloud by the editor
Did write all of that rot?" asked
the Naval Officer. THAT will never do.
| 1 guess we had better give it up
But that was not the editors dispo-
| sition. He patiently talked over the
whole matter again and then, in an in
formal and unsupported way, he drew
out of the officer more good stories bearing
on the article than could well be included
The editor went back to his hotel and
| wrote Then he took the original draft
OF the first conversation, threw most of it
! away and wove his own story to the
rest When he read the complete manu-
script to the naval officer, the latter was
| delighted.
That's fine, That's finer" he exclaim-
ed We'll, I'm not so bad as writer af-
| ter ALL 1 think that's a pretty good
piece of work for me, don't your
Jack London. whose fame was made by
his stories of the Northwest and the Klon-
dixie, has sailed for Europe in search of
rest and recreation Mr. London does not
short in years, has been full of the stern
experiences of which he writes so we'll
He is indeed the kipling Of the North
End, where realism is SO romantic and ro-
| nance SO real Not long since Mr. Lon
] don completed his first novel, story. of
the Alaskan gold fields, and this, together
with volume of short stories, will be pub
| llshed this fail.
A 80 900 set of Dickens is unique corec-
| ton Of books which has recently been
There are over 50 volumes in the set and
each is first edition book Not. only
| should this fact interest the book lover.
| but TO know that an autograph letter of
| the authors accompanies each volume
possessor of the set. Most of the letters
| are notes of presentation to various friends
them must have been long and patient
one.
The American invasion of Europe and
the resulting tendency of Europeans to dis
like invaders has resurrected the following
story:
An American woman of wealth once call
ed upon Ouida in Florence
say that ! am an !, american and very
who took her card.
The caller had scarcely seated herself be-
Il won't see her Tell her don't like
| Americans
The American woman staIked to the
stairway and called out:
| We'll, you ought to like them They are
the only people who read your nasty
Whereupon Ouida came down. welcomed
her visitor and the two became good
The episode might have happened in
connection with many English novelists
though it probably would not. The Eng
| lshman whose books are selling well in
| this country has the kintliest feeling for
his American cousins and this feeling is
| not disturbed by strong competition in the
| market of literary wares in England. OF
! all the fields of trade which the Americans
are invading. that of books has been thus
! far least trampled Neither is there
much prospect of a sudden change in this
regard.
The Bishop of Limerick has decided that
Thacleray's Henry Esmond' is not
good book for the young to read, and has
advised teachers generally TO discourage
its reading No more effective way. of stim-
ulating interest in Thackeray could be de-
vised. for the Irish youth who learns OF
the bishops dictum-. A year or so ago a
ling out of the library Within few days
not single copy Of Kipling was left II
the bookstores Of that town Now and
| prohibited books receive a deal of gratuit-
Gus advertising thereby. In many cases
| lust and right but is a depIorabIe fact
that the publication of such black. lists
on them. There is a large public which j:
/ attracted by the very prohibition ano
there are always some publishers who are
| eager to take advantage of this fact
Nearly everyone who reads is now and
then struck by the seeming unconscious
! metre and poetic swing of a piece of prose
, One experiences a thrill of delight in not
ing this fact in Dickens Little Nell led hel
grandfather away from London through
the villages and country and though th'
two were most pathetic characters. thu
, author often told of their travels and de
, scribed some of the places they passed
: through in almost pure verse Doubtless
If one were careful in a search of thi!
; kind he could find many similar case.
in present day writing Indeed someone
. has taken the first few lines of Ernes
, | Thompson Seton's story of the Kootena,
; | Ram and. without changing the. order o
| words in the least has made fairly goot
; blank verse of the PASSAGE
; 80 in this land of long, long winter night
! Where Nature stints her joys for six hare
months,
Then owns her debt and pays it all a
The Spring is glorious compensation fo
The past- Six months arrears of joy arr
paid
In one vast lavish outpour."
Kipling's much heralded story eWire
, | less has come in and is going through tn
: - l,ril aefcarx n