The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-07

Servant have sold 1000, 600 copies
each. and some of the other examples OF
his earlier work have fallen only a little
behind, while a ehild's story, The First
Book of Reading" has passed it's sec
Ond million. OF TolStOi's general works
there have been 200 German transla-
ti0ns, $50 French so Danish, 25 each of
English and Swedish. besides a number
in stray tongues. including Tartar. Hin
dustani and Turkish. OF course TolstOIs
refusal to accept copyright was partly
responsible for this prOdigiOus circula-
ton At this writing one correspon-
dent reports that the count is dying,
another says he is almost miraculous
" recovering and third that
he is about the same. An explanation
for all these contradictory reports IS
that the Russian government refuses to
accept kilograms concerning persons
whom it has accommodated.
Here is a bit of inside literary history
giving light on the contention some
times made in England that while the
United States is all very well for COM
mercial undertakings, it is rather a raw
country IN the matter OF literary taste
An English lady who had written
two or three charming little vol
umes belonging, If they could be classs-
ned at all to the Crawford school, re-
Gently sent forth the manuscript of an
other story that was, if posi- Bile, even
more dainty and gracious. 1t went 10
one publisher after another in London,
and in due course invariably came back
with notes more appreciative and re-
gretful than publishers are wont to
send with rejected manuscript I have
hesitated long over this novel, wrote
one OF the oldest and most thoughtful
of these publishers, and am delighted
with its quality. but fear that our public
would not take it in sufficient quaint
ties to make it paying investment"
Another famous house, whose letter lies
before me, wrote: 1T is delicate and of
choice quality. but, alaSi these recon-
mendatiOns nowadays do not command
a hearing, and we are afraid of it" AL
though the author had never been in
the United States and her book con-
tanned no american characters. she fin
ally sent it across the Atlantic in des-
peratiOn, and it was promptly accepted
by the second American publisher 10
whom it was submitted. I should like
TO give the name of author and publish
CT. but that would be an advertisement
Another author whose stirring tales of
irish chiValTy have found a wide circle
OF readers on the other side of the ocean
tells me that she can obtain no publisher
here for book or serial at any price
She ascribes this, however. to the rather
bitter feeling against Ireland that pre-
walls in England at the present time.
one recalls In this connection that Her
bert Spencer first found readers in nav
ing quantities in America and was not
discovered at home until some time
Ten o Robbie Burns tart letters to his
Edinburgh bookseller. Peter Hill were
SOFA at auction recently for the notable
prlee OF 80 There were Is of the let
tiers in all Four are in Scotch collections
one is in America and one is lost
one would scarcely expect to find H
G. Wells contributing to a publication
called The Grocers Association Year
Book, but his contribution EXPLAINS the
reason He says his sympathy with the
shop assistants" is not of the abstract
kind II was in the net myself" he goes
on. Tor two years the most nlisera bic
years of my life, was behind the coun-
ter of a diapers shop. Had I not been
able to believe that there was a way out
OF the Systematized drudgery that forced
itself upon me, / would quite deliberately
have got out Of a world that could mis-
An English novelist who derives a beau
uful income from his american sales and
whose name is as well known there as it
ls mere, was approached the other dey By
the representative of an American N aga-
ent- and who happened to write to the
novelist on newspaper stationery He
asked for an opportunity to lay before the
great Han-no. it wasn't Kipling-a pFe-
nonenally good offer for q magazine ar
tlcle- he received In reply a card on
which this courteous author wrote: Z
never see American journalists until I
have satisfactory assurance from some
one / know that their smartnesS is un-
der control. 1t is pleasure to be able
ton wrote in reply that a request for q
magazine article at the authors terms
really did not seem to warrant a gratui-
tous insult to American journalists
That magazine article Will never be
bought
The American Book company has pub
iished new civil government. It is called
''Clark's, The Government; What It Is
What Tt Does The author is SaIter