The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-09

is not even a necessary evil, but he
has taken advantage of his opportuni-
ties and in consequence has grown to
be quite an institution.
At least one of these literary hacks
has gone his competitors one better.
Where all formerly took their assign
mentS from publishers and were con-
tent with eternal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ed always the compensation be suffi :
clent-this progressive hack will now
lease his Pegasus to any individual
who is willing to pay for the privilege
of riding towards literary fame, even
though it be on a borrowed horse. The
condition is not entirely new, for ev-
cry college man has had, in his sopho-
more days, alluring offers from various
literary firms who were willing to write
his themes, essays and orations for a
consideration, and we have known of
the Dumas novel factory and of other
cases where one writer stole the thun-
der and work of another, but the amaz-
ing thing about the matter is that re-
Gently there seems to have developed
tendency among men and women,
unknown to the world of books, to Sc
cure literary fame in this simple man
ner.
How It Is Done.
A society woman, for example, is
of book; she employs a "hack" who
does the entire labor of writing the
volume. The writer has in mind a
well known Chicago woman who en-
ployed a professional 'hack" to write
novel for her. The temptation came
to her in a small way first. She had
made European trip for the purpose
of studying various art galleries
abroad. On her return, one of wo-
mems clubs asked her to read a paper
on the art of some great painter. She
had never written anything of the kind
in her life, but she heard of a gentle
man who would write such a paper
for her for a certain sum. The paper
was thus prepared and when it was
read to the club, the supposed author
was Nlavished with praise and more
papers were demanded The same
gentleman wrote these for her and
it was not long before the lady's re-
markable literary ability was the sub
ject 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 sup
posed author on her style and execu-
ton, and she will begin to be known
outside of her own city as a writer
Of some ability.
Hard to Understand.
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
engaged as collaboration or assistant
or editor of her work, then she could
have had the feeling that practically
everything good in the book was hers,
but this fattering JUNCTION cannot be
hers.
There is, in fact, too much uneven
ness in the distribution of credit for
literary merits. A great many maya
zine articles which bear the names
of well known people are SO revised
and edited before publication that q
disinterested person would have diff
Guilty in recognizing the originals. And
it is a curious fact that the authors
invariably accept the improved matter
| as entirely their own.
| Not long ago a magazine editor Sc
J cured the promise of an article from
1 an admiral in the United States navy
A stenographer was engaged to take
| down the naval officers dictation ant
some thousands of words of rambling
conversation were thus recorded. TIL,
| matter was written out and read alont
by the editor.
Did write ell Of that rot?" askes