The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-04


thousand book REVIEWERS In various parts |
of the country. I cannot wear coat |
when / am writing. even though the |
temperature of the room be freezing
cold. l use yellow paper and leaky 1
fountain pen. The typewriting machine
alarms me and drives every thought out
of my head The larger part of my
work is done in the forenoon 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 1 could become a victim
OF insomnia might write something
| good enough for the agazines.''
| Carolyn Wells who has just publish
ed another nonsense book under the IL
tie of Folly in the Forest can work
only in the quiet of her study and on a
mahogany desk. She finds it necessary
| to consume large quantities of candy.
Essays, of course" she says, calls for
caramels; a play, chocolates: jfngles.
PEPPERMINT sticks; and nonsense rhymes,
marShmallOws."
Charles Battell Loomis, whose long
serious face can break into mos: charm
ing smiles. must have enjoyed writing
the following:
Like all great writer's 1 have certain
method of work. I never rise, later than
breakfast time. This consists of what
ever the maid brings on the table, as
consider that good for the brain. After
breakfast I always go for a short walk
| to the postoffice. This consumes nearly
three minutes after which 1 read my
mail, if the writing is legible, and the
daily paper. After reading the paper,
go into my thinking room and think for
three, sometimes even four minutes.
thoughts on my typewriter until lunch
time. If my typewriter breaks l find 1t
hard to spread out my thoughts
with the pen, thus giving the lie to the
man who said no one could ever get
used to the typewriter. The AFTERNOONS /
give over to elegant leisure. and to
thinking what / will do with the money
/ if 1 sell what 7 have written in the
morning. Once a week l go out. or
rather in, for / live out, to battle with
stern editors, and return at night weak
from the conflict. and laden with the
spoils of war If they are too spoilt L
destroy them: otherwise I send them
out again Those editors run the best
magazines who print most of my stuff:
but in that opinion Go not differ from
other writers except that l am more
because I wanted to and l will continue
as long as editors want me to-
Dorothy Dix, known best perhaps
through her Fables for the Elite says
that cooking is the source of her in
spiration Those who have wondered
how W. J. hampton turns out the Curl
Gus things which he has labeled
'Yawps," learn here that he sits down
at the typewriter, says in a firm tone,
Gee Whit" and then, "see!" and then
fills up whatever white space may hap
effort. Kate Masterson takes her work
very seriously, and labors five hours
day at it. Edwin Sabin. the Iowa
humorist, gets his inspiration from
cat. He has been trying for years TO
write something which will make the
cat smile. So far he has not succeeded,
but he is hopeful. Minna Irving writes
that she is saddest when she is gladdest.
Ambrose Bierce says he does most of
his work with his legs intertwisted, while
exuding globes of perspiration and
achieving copious protrusions of tongue.
Tom p. Morgan insists that the average
humorist doesn't have any inspiration.
George Hobart, better known as .Dink-
elspiel, says that he spends an hour
every morning thinking and getting up
: courage to go after the English Ian
guaxe.
''Bedween 10 and IL I kick Offer my
desk" he writes, land NIT der left hant
crap der Enklish HngVich by der
throttle und begin to shake i'd The
effect is Ito render id unsDeakable.
Cnd SO id goes all across der Lifelong
day. und ven der night dime puds der
shudders ub finds myself SLIDING dere
surrounded py poor, squivering words.
all proken und bruised und banting for
ice water Dis is der blood-thirsty story
VI my life"
The practice of getting out complete
editions is not al all a new one, but
? the practice has added to it the idea of
getting these editions out in such an
t attractive form that it has become Il
} noteworthy department of the publish
Ing business. The most careful and
I painstaling efforts are bestowed upon
l the bookmakfng of many Of these edit
3, lions, and the coming fall season will
, be distinguished by a large increase II,
2 these fine examples of the bool1ma kerr s
: art; Inc Dent edition of Hazlitt stands,
perhaps, first. 1t is, strange to say the
only complete edition of this great
: Critics writings ever gotten out and
the edition of this special issue is limited
p for I1iC
= An American work of vastly more pop
ular Importance is a forthcoming edition
of Hazlitt is also claimed to be the first
complete and accurate edition of the au-
4 ton say that the editors have endeavored
| to reproduce the work of Poe just il
t emcndations and many NY changes i' Which, int
r nave been made in previous editions. 1t is
q eerned with posterity can not Themselves
: arrange their work just they woulc
;: have it appear after their death. It is
It possible, of course. that the future editor
y of Poe may find no further changes t.
d make in his writings; 1t is possible alse
: the author himself would not have dream
n ed of having had made Perhaps the an
+ thors themselves do not very much know
how their work appears after they hav,
s gone. Someone once called Rudyard Kip
: his illness had caused and what had beer
: said as to what posterity would think o
q q WHAT do I care for posterity?' Kiplinl
y replied. "Posterity will take care of it
y self. l will not be alive then to see wha
Is IT cares for me- Yet it must be remem
n bered that among all authors Kipling i
II the terror among editors who dare to sug
l. gest any changes in his work What h
I has written thus far has been gone owe
& most carefully by the author, and it /
= well known that he desires it to stand a
:. he has thus left it,
0f Not long ago was asked whether Jos
ar Chandler Harris had ever written a nove
e, and 1t took some little skirnsishing i
memory to make a reply. 1t seems sur
10 prising that this writer should have es
Re tablished such a great reputation h
= has through short fiction alone AS
p matter of fact, however Mr.. Harris frs
sr long novel, leaving out The Making of
Of Statesman. which must be called nov
a al will he all 10