The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-13
FUNNY men ARE SERIOUS
AS A RULE THEY ARE A SEDATE
SORT OF PEOPLE
Methods and Inspirations of Some of
Them = Increase in Fine Complete
Editions This FalI-The Problem of
Editing-JoeI Chandler Harris First
Novel Soon to Appear.
By Herbert Brewster.

6y 0crDert brewster
La Touche Hancock has, in the last
Bookman, collected together a number
Of valuable records as to the methods
and inspirations of number of writ
ers who are classed generally as hu-
morists. Curiously enough, the aver
age humorist is very serious animal,
and he rarely takes himself humor-
ously. 1t is good enough to wear the
clowns cap and to jingle the bells until
public attention is attracted; then,
somehow, the clown wants to be known
as some other sort of being. Charles
Battell Loomis has long been known
for the delicious quality Of his humor,
but he Is a most serious-faced Mr..
Sobersides in appearance. John Ken
drick Bangs has much the same coun-
tenance, but, of the two mentioned.
Mr., Bangs aspires more to be really
serious. Nine-tenths Of his work. he
says, is serious work, from which it
would appear that this author is strlv-
ing hard to establish a reputation as
something else than a humorist. If
you ask the publishers or the editors
of the magazines and Sunday news
papers, however, you will discover that
there is a greater need of writer's of
humor than for the writer's of any 9TH
er kind of matter. We are, as people,
too serious.
To get back to the methods Of the
humorists and the sort Of inspirations
which they have, Mr.. Hancock quotes
Mr.. Bangs to the effect that he never
has inspirations. The genial author Of
the Idiot sketches plods six mornings
a week at writing and makes it a rule
not to try to write anything in the aft
ernoOns or evenings. Just how Mr.
Bangs contrives to turn out all the
matter which appears over his name
during morning hours is difficult to I'M
derstand, unless he has, indeed, several
enchanted typewriters after the fashion
of one Of his stories. The writer re-
calls an ocean voyage during which
Mr.. Bangs locked himself in his state
room, not because he was at all ill,
for he came regularly to his meals,
but, at the end of the trip, some $4,000
words of manuscript bore evidence to
the labor which he had done within
the compass of eight days time.
AIDE Writes Under Pressure.
George AIDE, according to the ac-
count referred to above, does
not like to discuss his meth
DDS or inspirations. Nearly all
the stuff have turned out" he writes,
'has been written under great pres
sure. I had not time to stop to take
mental photographs of my own meth
alton, if I had waited there wouldn't
have been any copy to turn in. I have
tried several times to discover my own
methods, for find that every genuine
literary person has method. mas
much as have failed to discover any
method in my work, I sometimes sus-
pect that I am not literary person.
This suspicion has been corroborated
by about a thousand book reviewers in
various parts of the country. l cannot
wear coat when I am writing, even
though the temperature of the room be
freezing cold. use yellow paper and
a leaky fountain pen. The typewr1ting
machine alarms me and drives every
thought out of my head. The larger
part of my work is done in the fore
noon, but my best work Is done late at
night, when am in a high strung
condition. This has only happened
once or twice, but I am hopeful. If
could become victim of insomnia
might write something good enough for
the magazines"
Carolyn Wells, who has just pub
lished another nonsense book under
the title of Folly in the Forest" can
work only in the quiet of her study
and on mahogany desk. She finds it
necessary to consume large quantities
of candy. Essays, of course she
says, "calls for caramels; play, choc-
olates; jingles, peppermint sticks. and
nonsense rhymes, marshmallows."
Charles Battell Loonis, whose long,
serious face can break into most
charming smiles, must have enjoyed
writing the following:
Like all great writer's have GER
tain methods of work. never Use
later than breakfast time. This con-
sists Of whatever the maid brings on
the table, as consider that good for
the brain. After breakfast always go
for a short walk to the postoffice. This
which read my mail, If the writing is
legible, and the daily paper. After
reading the paper I go into my think
ing room and think for three, some
times even four, minutes. Then pro-
coed to spread out my thoughts on my
typewriter until lunch time. If my
typewriter breaks I find it hard to
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