The sun., 1904-12-07
BOOKS AND THEIR MAKERS.

A canvass Of the authors Of the day re-
veals the fact that most writer's find 1t
difficult TO do their work In New York.
The case Of Mrs. Frances Hodgsop Burnett
author Of 4In Closed Room IL typical
one. Mrs. Burnett has o country home In
Kent, England, but some three years ago
she returned to America and tried TO take
up her residence In New York. The rush
and hurry, the thousand demands, social
and otherwise, made upon her by the city
rendered II impossible for her to write
and II was only when she took her summer
house In Easthampton that she was able TO
continue her work. The second year her
attempt at New York life was still more
disastrous, and her little story 'In .
Closed Room could not be written ut all
in New York, although New York life in
spired 1t.
There are publishers who complain OF
q dearth Of interest in books during this
holiday season, and there are others who
announce marvellous sales and the demand
| for more books than they can supply.
The publishers Of Mrs.. Burnett's book. in
Closed Room report orders for 10000
copies that they cannot fill. THE Mas
querader' Ia said to be ceiling at the rate
| Of volume O minute, and one firm has
ordered thousand volumes for every day
during December. A large new edition Of
| Nancy Stair'-the fourteenth-is out
.Old Gorgon Graham Is in its ffty-ninth
| thousand. A second edition OF Myra
| Kelly's humorous stories Of school life
east Of the Bowery has been demanded.
the 'Recollections OF Gen. Lee Is in its
third printing and q new edition OF "A
Rose Of Old st. Louis" is selling rapidly.
| Ellis Meredith, author Of Heart OF My
Heart is one Of the b est known women
| journalists in the West. She lives In Den
yer. Some time ago it was announced that
she was at work on a new novel, and her
publishers, upon inquiring how far she had
progressed. receivad an answer in which
Miss Meredith ssys: MY delay must seem
objectionable. but I live in State where
women vote, and I have had to organize
a campaign, send out speakers, get up
literature and trot around over this big
Commonwealth myself when I had no one
else to send, and came out Of the cam
paign submerged with all sorts OF things
that had to be attended to at once Mean
time, while Miss Meredith is leading the
strenuous life her novel, Heart Of My
Heart has been rapidly running into
edition after edition.
Because Anthony Hopes latest book,
In Double Harness." which deals with
group OF mismated married Londonsrs,
does not present the cheerful and roseate
Wow Of welded bliss that one Is supposed
to have when recently recruited to the
joys Of domestic happiness both critics
and readers have. thought the book rather
reflection upon the matrimonial bliss
in the Hope household. 1t Is all very inter-
esting. and 1t L. always q pity to spoil .
theory with cold facts. But the truth Of
the matter Is that In Double Harness
was written o year OF 90 before Mr.. Hopes
marriage. which took place q little more
than q year ago. and the story was well
started before the author had met the
charming American woman who became
his wife and who recently presented him
with the little daughter Of which he IL as
foolishly fond as young fathers are wont
to be Of the Just arrived.
Cyrus Townsend Brady's new book,
'Indian Fights and Fghters,' which has
been unavoidably delayed win be published
on Dec. rs. Tho interesting feature Of
the book is that IL 10 written from accounts
| RlV6n py Iu6 pcOpo WuO IColiy boSA PoAt
In the warfare themselves. All sorts OF
folks have been sought out and inter
viewed, from the officers In command to
the teamsters who looked on at the battles.
The keenest interest will. Of course, centre
in the chapters connected with Gen. Clusters
defeat. There are officials, high In rank
In the army, who could settle forever tho
much disputed question as to whether
| oh hia diaaafar
through disobedienoe Of orders, by simply
publishing the letters and orders Of the
day on record In the army reports. These
officials have been appealed to for suoh
service and refuse to mako the corre-
spondenoe public, which would seem to
settle the question by inference. The
book Is a connected and rsliable story OF
this picturesque period In American history.
Eben Phillpotts's sThe Secret Woman"
Ia announced for the middle Of january.
Mr.. Phillpotts Is one Of the few authors
who hold that the dignity Of letters de-
mands that the author should not allow
his personality or his portrait to be used
In any way as a means Of increasing in
terest In his work. Mr.. Phillpotts was
born in India In 90 and Is q son Of a Captain
in the army. He began life as q clerk in
a fire insurance office In England, where
he spent ten years, after which he went
to London and studied for the stage. He
abandoned this art on finding that his
ability did not justify perseverance, and
turned his attention to literature, where
he oompels the interest Of the elect. The
critics praise and review at length, but
popularity with the public comes slowly,
though with a steady increase. Mr.. Phill-
potts is doing for Dartmoor what Hardy
is doing for Wessex.
A new issue in 'The American Sports
mans Series Is at hand which contains
the whole science Of photography for the
man who goes out after game with camera
instead Of q gun 1t is written by L. w.
Brownell and offers great deal Of interest
ing and practical matter concerning the
use Of the telephotographio lens-a kind
Of telescope attachment to the camera
which enlarges the photograph while 1t is
being taken. 1t enables the camera hunter
IN nhotoaraph things he cannot see and