The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18
in THE LITERARY FIELD
GLIMPSE OF THE LIFE AND PERSON
Atty OF +. MARION CRAWFORD.
ResponsibiIity of Caring for n VaIu-
able Manuscript - The Mag
aziue Habit.

His forty-nine years rest lightly on him,
and you would not surmise he was past
thirty-nine says Chas. II. Garrett, in the
October Lamp writing about Marion Craw-
ford. 1t was twenty years ago he wrote his
first novel. "AIr Isaacs.'' with no inten-
ton of publishing it, said Mr.. Crawford.
II was born in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, where
my father. Thomas Crawford, the sculptor,
whose statue OF Liberty surmounts the
capitol at Washington, had his summer
studio. Then it was necessary for a sculp-
tor to go abroad to secure proper quarters,
and men expert in handling clay and block
ing marble. Lately, he added, they
named street in Bagni di Lucca after me-.
He had been educated at Concord. n. H.;
Cambridge, England; Heidelberg, Germany.
and Harvard University, without intention
of seriously applying himself to any field of
labor, when adverse circumstances COM
PEELED him to use his education for his sup-
port
Familiar with Italy," he continued, Il
became correspondent for the London Daily
Telegraph, and later, going to India to
study Oriental languages. edited the Indian
Herald, at Allahabad Ghe City of Cod
That was in 1872 during the Afghanistan
trouble, when the army of revenge went
up under, now Lord Roberts to punish the
slayers of Sir Louis Cavagnari, the Brit
ish envoy. 1t was while ink India 1 met
Jacobs, whom 1 called Isaacs, broker in
precious stones. whose dealings, particular
'ly with the Nizam of Hyderabad, formed
the plot of my first romance. On account of
i'll health, 1 went to Europe, and in 1881
10 h.
principally for the Critic. then just started,
on philology, art, and architecture, and also
wrote criticisms. Mr.. Isaacs' written
for the diversion in the evenings of an
uncle OF mine, to whom | was greatly at
tached. 1 had long since formulated the
story in my mind. but had not up to that
time, May o. | remember. essayed writing
fiction. / completed il in two months when
served well, without my knowledge, sub
mitted the manuscript TO the Macmillan
Company. 1t met their fancy, and, after
an interim, the following December, was
publ1shed. It's dealing with theosopy was
to hold il up TO ridicule. for the entertain
ment of my uncle, who was somewhat in
terested IL it. and reflected no such belief
on my part. although the authors of many
letters of inquiry / received drew that in
ference. My second novel I wrote before
the publication of MIR. Isaacs'-purely for
my own amusement"
He paused TO refill his pipe out of jar,
with sweet. long-cut mixture. and, light
ing it, smoked thoughtfully. His desk was
uttered with manuscript. II have" he
allure, few moments to read purely for
amusement. My reading is almost entirely
confined to books and histories bearing on
what L am writing or planning to write"
One of Mr.. Crawford's most pleasing of
traits is his utter lack of egotism. He
considers his writing as banker or a mer-
chant considers his occupation, in the light
Of work
The conversation turned to the proposed
national theater, and, in the light of its
present agitation, Mr.. CrawfOrd's remarks
are well worth recording: such an institu-
tion," he said, would naturally be of
great benefit TO the country at large through
its uplifting of the drama but think hard
the initial outlay necessarily have TO be
enormous. but its income on its endowment
as well as its boX-office receipts to pay
salaries sufficient to induce the best actors
and actresses TO appear on its boards; those
whose starring tours are not only crafty
ingly remunerative but additionally at
tractive through their country wide audi
ence- There are many theaterS abroad with
the purpose and object of the one you desire
to found here, but that of Paris 10 the only
one of real Importance. and it could not
exist without constant large assistance from
the government. All, yes, the one in Flor
ence might also be mentioned. but they are
the only ones of moment and reputation"
He picked up his pen-staff again. when
my forefinger, after many years." he re-
marked, wore through the metal barrel of
this pen, l took it TO a jeweler and had
another made exactly it's same weight to
fit the stick. If you write much you find
that the slightest difference in the weight
of your pen affects and tires your hand
and arm. | have never experienced any such
inconvenience. having always used a certain
mammoth pen, having the double advantage
of holding much ink and writing fine.
could inscribe the Lords Prayer on a six
pence with it,"
He held the stick, polished by his hand
through long years of use, between his
fingers:
Yes" he said, revolving it. critically
Il have written every word of my novels
with this stick.