Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-30
NOTES OF BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

discussion is now in progress as to the
speed at which some of the newer novels
are created. 1t is a weIl-known fact that
many of the successful authors have taken
to the typewriter for the sake of the facility
it affords. One of these is John Luther
Long, author of Madame Butterfly and
co-author with David Belasco of the play
THE Darling Of the Gods" Mr. Longs
style is of such quality that he would be
one of the last to suspect of quick compost
ton, yet the fact was recently stated that
he works al the rate of 1000 words an hour.
This assertion is fairly unbelievable until
it is explained that he has devised sys-
tenn of authorizations and regards this rap
idly created manuscript as merely memo
randum of his thought. Several writer's
have been heard from who acknowledge
that they have for some years used the
typewriter, and the rate of 20O0 words an
hour seems to be by no means unusual
among them. This means full copy, with no
authorizations. OF course, such manuscript
is imperfect, geographically and rhetorical
ly, but it serves the chief purpose of fixing
the theme. Mr.. Longs 1900 rate is not
likely to be bettered, for a time at least
Lovers of romantic literature remember
with pleasure the two books by Miss Liljen-
cranz dealing with the early Norsemen and
the Danish conquest of England, both of
which have been serially published in The
Star. AS these books came from the press
of A. c. McClurg & Co. of Chicago they
bore series of exceptionally handsome
fectively lending atmosphere to the tales.
This work attracted wide attention because
of the painstaking care evident in the COM
position and the drawing of the costumes
and accessories incident to the period and
the people The artists are Troy and Mar
garet West Kinney, who are now estab-
lshed in New York, where they, removed
from Chicago a season or two ago They
work In partnership, each illustration on
completion embodying the work of both.
Mr.. Kinney was recently in Washington in
search Of data for series of color Hlustra-
lions for a new McClurg book dealing with
Indians, the novel relating to the Fort
Dearborn massacre in 1872. This enterprise,
through the good offices of the National
Museum and the bureau of ethnology, in
Sured as close an approach as possible to
historic accuracy in the matter of the cos
tunes and war paint of the tribes involved
in the plot.
Miss Liljencranz is the daughter of a
Scandinavian exile who sought redress
of personal fortunes in the United States.
The sagaS of the north were endless
store of entertainment for the child, and
she developed with these stories wildly i'm
pressed upon her. Consequently, when she
arrived at the wage-earning stage of life.
which the family circumstances compelled,
she naturally turned to account the bed
time tales which her father had told her in
the past, with immediate success. She is
now at work upon another novel of the
same general character, it is announced,
though the precise theme or period is not
stated
Miss Ellen Glasgow, whose new novel,
The DeliVerance," was reviewed in these
columns last week, is a resident of Rich
mond Va. where she lives surrounded by
an atmosphere of keen family appreciation.
1t is related that her three sisters are de-
votedly interested in her literary work.
This interest reached a climax during the
writing of THE Deliverance." Miss Glas-
gov had given her sisters an outline of the
story and it appealed to them strongly.
When she writes she locks herself in her
den. After she had finished a chapter she
allowed her sisters to read 1t. As the
story developed they became absorbed. They
could scarcely wait from day to day to
learn the progress of the novel. As the
story grew they camped outside Miss Glas-
COWS room. and when she came out after
a hard mornings work there was wild
scramble for the freshly written sheets.
The editor of the Star of Hope, the news
paper published in the Sing Sing prison,
recently wrote to McCiure-Philiips. who
published 1.-The Master Rogue" David Ora
ham Phillips story of INSCRIPTIONS
millionaire and the methods he adopted to
gain his millions, as follows: Gentlemen:
The Star of Hope seeks to review books
that deal with justice punishment viii
lainy and crime-not because IT processes to
bring to the task any degree Of critical
acumen, but for reasons that will suggest
themselves to any alert mind. We have
tnOuSnt your DOCK CdlleQ Inc Master
Rogue might come into the class that at
tracts our notice. We could at least give
him the benefit of comparisons drawn from
real life and held for the time in position
to be observed"
Rudyard Kipling has gone for his usual
winter visit to South Africa, where he oc-
cupies the home provided for him by the
late Cecil Rhodes. No word has lately
come north regarding lis literary activities
though it is stated that he has taken en-