The Washington bee., 1902-03-29
A NEW RURAL NOVEL
Will Deal with Life in Indiana in
Mexican War Time.
Booth Harrington, NOSsd HOOsieF
Author, Is Now Putting Finish
ing Touches to It-AbOut to
Become IA Bemedict.

BOOJb harrington, OF Indianapolis
the well-known author and playwright,
is completing the concluding chapters
of another Indiana novel.
The new book will make its appear
ance in time, the authors friends as
sert, to answer a double purpose. 1t
will come not only at an opportune
time for the publishers, but will not
be amiss in assisting the author In
furthering his political ambitions.
For Booth Harrington, the author,
expects to become Booth darlington,
the politician.
Then, in addition, there is a strong
rumor going the rounds that Booth
darlington, the bachelor, is about to
become Booth Harrington, the bene-
dict. Mr.. Harrington, however, does
not admit this assertion. He win not
countenance the rumor. Neither does
Mr.. Tarkington's family, unless, ia
truth. the authors mother be except
ed. She has been quoted as admitting
that the author and the young woman
whose name has been linked with that
of Mr.. Harrington by the gossips like
each Other--nOthing more.
Yet an intimate friend Of the Indiana
author said only a day or two ago:
''Mr. Harrington is working on the last
novel he will write before he is mar
ried"
However" as Mr.. Harrington, him
self, says. "the rumor does not affect
the novel now in hand"
AS in his first success, says the Chi
cago American. the aUthOr will return
to Indiana for the plot of his story.
It viii be laid in the city of Terre
Haute, where. by the way, the authors
father met. wooed and married the au-
thOr's mother, and it will deal almost
exclusively with bits of Indiana char
acter. Mr.. darlington considers 1t
his most pretentious aud most success
full effort.
The book has not yet been named
the author insisting on one title. the
authors friends advancing a third. It
will be a romance dealing with life In
Indiana, in the vicinity of Terre Haute
during the time of the Mexican war,
and it will convey not a few of its in
cidents to the famous Catholic school
near Terre Haute, "St. Marys of the
Woods" The book, however, Mr..
Harrington insists, will not be classed
as historical romance. This he says
in the face of anticipating critics who
have endeavored to predict the char
acter of the work.
The love story is delicately woven
round the lives Of girl studying at the
Catholic institution and a Young man
of the clear-brained, hOrny-handed
class peculiar to the early period of
Indiana's history.
Mr. Harrington said: 81 will doubt
less hear more from my friend at
Seattle now. Shortly after the pro-
duction of The Gentleman from In
diana friends of mine residing in Seat
tie. Wash, sent word to me that
a certain resident of that city was
parading under the name of Booth
| Harrington. claiming to have written
my book. He was buying copies right
| and left and sending them to his
himself and a card saying that this was
| his first venture into literature and he
wanted their criticism. My friends
/ desired to know whether / would have
! them expose him or not. 1t seems that
! he also claimed that while he had writ
/ ten the book / was reaping the golden
benefits in the shape of royalties. II
did not take me long to decide what 20
| do. ! wrote them TO encourage him in
his pipe dream explaining at the
same time that every copy he bought
was putting that much more money
in nv pocket. / needed the money.
This latest effort of mine is in some
respects a more elaborate one than any
Of the others preceding. At least I
! have worked harder on il. Of course, I
cannot say what success it will meet
within fact, there are as yet several
/ incomplete chapters.
II have endeavored. in my book.
! nameless as yet, TO combine romance
| and character delineation. At the
/ time of which have written the farm
/ ers and townspeople were Of such a
character as to attract the most fas-
| tidious student. ! have also enCeav-
ored not to become historical and !
/ think have succeeded to a certain ex-
tent The life of the story will rest
IN the hands of the people in a very
short time"