The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
In THE LITERARY FIELD
HOW WRITER OF A NEWSPAPER
.FUNNY COLUMN GETS THEMES.
The French Writer, Pierre Lott, Is
Also Captain of War vessel
Truth About Stratford.

In an article in the New York Independent
by w. d. Nesbit, the funny man" OF the
Chicago Tribune. he tells how the writer OF
daily jokes and verses gets his inspiration.
He says:
Just people like TO see some local
event turned into verse, so do they enjoy
reading a few stanzas on some happening
OF national or international Importance.
However. the newspaper poet does not and
need not, confine himself to the news OF the
day for his subjects. He may produce either
serious or humorous verse along general
lines. Doubtless he will find that the con-
slant watch for ideas in what is going on
about him will give him newer views on
mankind and life. Then, if he has IL in him
to develop materially, he could ask no
broader avenue along which to progress.
If he succeeds in catching the popular vein.
as concentrated in the eyes and minds of
some twenty-five exchange editors, he will
have the happiness OF seeing his verses
copied widely. Otherwise, he may rest con-
tent with the approval of the circle of
readers possessed by his paper. The ex-
change editors OF the other Papers are a
great help to him, though. The public does
not realize that these trained handlers of
newspapers have so much to do with the
selection of its popular poems. Yet one
exchange editor, by clipping a comparative
~ obscure poem, has thus set the pace for
his fellows, and in the end has given a
modicum of fame TO a writer.
'Rudyard Kipling and James Whitcomb
Riley are the most conspicuous examples of
living newspaper poets. Mr.. Kipling con-
tinues to give his poetic work to the world
through the newspapers first. Mr.. Riley,
after beginning his career on the Indian
apolis Journal. has earned the ease and
luxury which he now enjoys. Mr.. Kipling
began in India, Mr.. Riley in Indiana-and
there is chance for some one to elaborate
upon the idea that the addition of one syl-
liable puts half a world between two peo-
pie. Neither of these men went farther
than his elbow for his inspiration. Mr..
Riley said. not long ago. to the writer
and was filled with the JOY of writing. /
said TO a friend: II believe, honestly, that
L could write poem every day for whole
year He thought then, and | presume l
did, too, that / overestimating my
capacity. But look what the newspaper
poets do now. A poem day-or two or
three poemS-is easy work for them
But not many of them are writing I'm
the Night" Good Bye. Jim,' IAN Old
Sweetheart" or "Old Glory every day.
THE man who takes up the writing of
newspaper poetry as a means Of gaining
livelihood is going into a profession which
is pleasant some days and extremely dis
when he will find so many ideas that he will
not know which one to use. Again-on the
other days-the world will be barren of
suggestion, and his brain seemingly on
vacation. Then he is fortunate if he has
had the forethought to keep something in
reserve. 1t is the dry day that ends the
career Of the beginner Sometimes ii is
amusing to watch the course of a new man
in the newspaper poetry field. At other
times IL has its element of sadness For
n week or two his work is pleasant. He
is using all the good ideas he has been
aching to see in print. Pretty soon, though,
he reached the end of them; then it comes
that he cannot remember that when all
else fails. the coal man, the janitor, the
iceman or housekeeping are always with
US. He pauses to reflect. Good heavensl
he muses.. I've got to write this much stuff
for tomorrow. and for the next day and
the next. Why, year from to-day I'll be
at the same old grindr He quits. He has
failed to weather that mental storm where
in man permits himself to think of n
whole years work instead of only one days.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
must be fretted about in due turn.
"As general thing the first work
man turns out is reasonably sure to be in
dialect. The beginner is prone TO be-
lieye there is a public clamor for dialect
verse. So he produces something which
combines sentiment and humor under some
such title as 'Th' or Fence Corner
whether or not he has ever seen a stake
and rider fence Or he Will attempt Ger
Oi for t. and making the former as Web
erfieldian possible. The stage is to blame
for our mistakes in dialect. A man who
would devote his life to composing dialect
verse should never go to the theater. No
Irishman ever said or for T. unless he was
made-up imitation behind the footlights.
Also the counterfeit stage darkey must
bear the blame for the alleged negro dialect
We get at times. Burnt cork-even on a
colored man-spoils his flow of language
and gets him away from his racial pc
xxh
beginner at newspaper poetry-making finds
that there are other lines he can handle
better.
'To come down to work-a-day con-
sideration of the newspaper poet and his
trade, IL may be we'll first to consider how
he gets his ideas. He must produce a
regular grist of stuff and he must find
something TO write for that grist He reads
the newspapers. the magazines, the week.
lies, the show bills; the advertising cards
he reads everything that may hold
thought for him. There are subjects every
where in the newspaper. even in the adver-
tisements. The trouble usually is that
man never sees them until the next day.
His is wider field than that of the car
toonist, but against that advantage is the
point that while the cartoonist uses only one
idea a day, he must find several. So he
patiently goes over the field. beginning with
the telegraph news and ending in the police
news. Perhaps some one mas said some
thing in interview which permits of
being treated with good natured raillery.
Or ii may be the other way about. Some
public man may nave said something he
should not have said-something which is
sure to be misconstrued. This is the news
paper poets cue. He goes ahead and mis-
CONSTITUTES il. often he misconstrues it be-
fore anybody else does, but that, as the
Texan statesman remarked, is what he is
there for "
Novelist and Sea Captain.
Philadelphia Press.
A novelist in command of a battleship
seems one of the curiosities of life. But
those who recently appointed Pierre Lott.
| the famous French author, to this post of
| duty doubtless knew what they were about.
| Not novel itself could contain an odder
| contrast in tastes. a more dual character
than these displayed in NJ. Lott, whose very
| pen name is fanciful adaptation of that
| of the Eastern lily, which is the emblem
| of waking dream life.
NJ. Lott possesses one qualification highly
| valuable and unusual for the commander of
| a warship. He is an immortal-has been one
| for ten years-a long time, as immortals of
| the Academy go, for frequently they gain
| admission only at an age when their immor-
tally is ready TO put on mortality. But he
has additional fitting qualities for his work
besides this. Entering the navy very young
| his true name being Capt. Louis Marie
Julien Viaud-he has mastered his calling
Thoroughly, is amiabe martinez ship
board. and is admired by his men for his
physical strength and his personal mag