The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-23

ceed- Impossible as the conditions
which Miss Flint assumes seem to
those familiar with the business of pub
fishing, she has nevertheless built up
an interesting romance. A famous
author who has written himself but
whose work is still in great demand.
goes to the Office of the girl of ideas
to write her up" He goes away con-
verted and with an idea for a story
which he uses in a tale which proves to
be his most successful. 1t happens that
the girl Of ideas has already sold the
same plot TO a newspaper editor out in
Arizona, and the famous author is at
tackled on all sides for plagiarism. In
her efforts to save the good name of the
famous author, the girl of ideas falls IN
love with him. a feeling which the
author has already entertained for the
girl. and the story, naturally, ends hap
PLY
For at least one reason the publish
ers should cultivate Miss Flint She
has suggested. in the course of her
story, scores of very attra ctive titles for
novels Miss Flint, like her heroine.
must have a capital of Imagination
which would be valuable to any pub
fishing house.
Ralph Henry Barbour. whose novel,
The Land of joy promises to be one
of the most popular of the summer
books although only thirty-two years
old, has had a remarkable career as
newspaper man and author Few know
that is the name which he has been
contributing to the ma gazines for sew
eral years under. Mr.. Barbour began
writing for a Boston newspaper and
after six months he was discharged for
having allowed himself to be ''scooped'
on a story. He drifted to Colorado
wher he was employed on Denver pa
pers, his last task in that city being
that of literary editor and cartoonist.
After that he worked on Chicago and
Philadelphia papers until two years
ago, when he returned to Cambridge
and devoted his entire time to writing.
The Land OF joy is Mr.. Barbour's
first grown novel, his four other books
having been long stories for boys. In
the new story, however, Mr. Barbour
will capture a larger audience. The
scene of most of the story is Leesburg,
Va. a very quiet old town whose claim
on future fame rests on the fact that
for forty-eight hours 1t was the seat of
the United States government. When
Washington was invaded by the British
during the war of 1872. the archives of
the government were secretly removed
to Leesburg, twenty-five miles away,
and deposited in a vault there. A meet
ing of the cabinet was held in the lit
tie town during this time, SO that the
place was actually the seat of govern
ment for d short time.
Miss Josephine Dodge Daskam, or
Josephine Daskam, as she now prefers
! new surname-is one or the most
/ clever of our younger writer's. Not long
ago we thought her field was limited to
/ stories of children, but her recent verse
and articles show that she has ability
to hit off the follies and weaknesses OF
grown people. A deep current of good
common sense underlies her work. Her
last bit of Omar for Ladies contains the
following:
Myself, when slim. did eagerly
frequent
Delsarte and Ling. and heard great
Argument
OF muscles trained to Hold me up;
but still
Spent on my Modiste what I'd always
spent.
with walking clubs did the best
I could;
With my own Feet I tramped my Ten
Miles, good;
And this was All that got out of it,
ate much more for Dinner than
should
A Berlin newspaper has recently
made an interesting canvass Of its read
ers for the purpose of discovering their
opinions as to the ten greatest of living
men It is gratifying to the profession
of writing that literature takes preced-
ence, Tolstoi leading with SOP votes, fol-
lowed by Mommsen. the historian. with
with 425 votes the third place being
given to the young Italian genius IN sci
ence. Guglielino Marconi, Gorky receiv-
81 4o0 x-o4ae- Mark rTsyra h44f cr4a The