The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-04

avocations. he ever had some literary work
In hand. A keen and discriminating reader
of all that was best In literature, reading
the best French authors IN the original.
dipping into Spanish and Italian. he kept
abreast Of the thought OF the world.
AS EDITOR AND WRITER.
In 1866 he came TO Chicago to. take the
assistant editorship OF the Little Corpo-
raj, childrens magazine. This work ne
held but a few months as the finances OF
the magazine were at low eeb. In the
spring of 1867 he took charge Of the Sun
day School Teacher, a periodical started
by Rev. (now Bishop Vincent Mr.. Vincent
had left the paper. and IL was morihund
After my brother took charge OF Il the cir
culation ran UP from 5000 to 5000 In a
year and half, and the Lesson Papers at
tanned circulation OF 10000. or more.
The noon prayer meeting of Chicago
adopted IL as study for the Saturday
meeting. religious papers of all kinds asked
for his list, and published notes on the
same lessons. This was the period of the
development and perfecting OF Sunday
a large. perhaps principal share.
While engaged in this work he was asked
to become the Chicago correspondent OF
the New York Independent. A few months
later he was offered position on the edi-
torial stan OF that paper While reviewing
books In this capacity he discovered and
lean public. Perhaps no greater service has
ever been done TO the readers OF America.
His removal TO New York in 1870 and the
assuming of editorial duties on the Inde-
pendent were the real beginning OF his
literary career.
Differing with the proprietor of the In
dependent on points OF conscience. he left
the paper In ISL. and soon after took
charge OF the Hearth and Home. a family
paper published by the late Orange Judd.
This paper, at the time my brother be-
IL -
few months later he wrote short story
for its pages entitled THE Hoosier
Schoolmaster," in the dialect OF the rustics
of southern Indiana. One Of the proprietors
proof, and urged my brother to take II
back and make a longer story out of the
materials.
yielding to his suggestion" writes my
brother in his preface TO the new edition OF
the now famous book, 81 began to write
this novel from week to week, and thus
found myself involved In the career Of a
novelist which had, up 10 that time. formed
no part of my plan of life. One Of
the firm of publishers thought much less
favorably of my story than his partner did.
formed. with some severity. that my char
acters were too rough to be presented In a
paper so refined as ours. But when,
the very next week after the protest was
made, the circulation of the paper increased
some thousands at bound. my employers
critical estimate OF the work underwent
rapid cnange. by the tlme the StOry
closed. at the end of fourteen installments.
the subscription list had multiplied itself
four or five times" After the appearance
of the '"Hoosier Schoolmaster' my brother
brought out number OF other stories OF
Western life, such as THE Mystery OF Me-
tropolisville," depicting scenes OF his nrst
summer in Minnesota; "The End Of the
World The Circuit Rider and Roxy"
The scenes of the last three, like those of
THE Hoosier Schoolmaster." were laid In
Indiana. Among his later stories The
Faith Doctor deals with New York life.
and illustrates the modern practice of faith
healing in different forms.
His most serious work that which he
himself values most highly, is a history OF
the social life of the thirteen colonies.
which he hopes to follow by a similar his
tory Of social life in the United States.
His last pastoral work was a five years
charge of the Lee-avenue Congregational
Church of Brooklyn, N. Y, which he reor-
ganized and called the Church Of Chris
tan Endeavor." translating the name OF
the Hoosier schoolmaster's Church OF
the Best Licks' into a title better fitted
for the new locality, but retaining the spirit
of the old.