New-York tribune., 1904-10-16

ana Il IS hard scrambIng. under these circunn-
stances, for the poor free TO send an editor
anything he doesn't know. Add 10 this the num-
Der Of people who doing interesting things
nowadays and writing about It themselves and
the horizon IS still further contracted The only
chance the professional writer has against these
poachers IS that they take their pen IN hand only
occasionally. while he IS making q business OF IT,
II getting material the whole personality OF the
free lance comes in play; all he is. all his educa-
tion all his interests The person with the widest
circle OF interests will get the most stun
In my home town had been interested a
certain line of philanthropic work. I knew that
the woman who was al the head OF this work had
a national headquarters in New-York ! hunted
her out and asked her FOR story. She kind
but reserved. and asked 20 see my manuscript
after Il was prepared After seeing the first
she never asked again. and thereafter gave me her
confidence. md, in looking over my stuff for
the first year-au religiously preserved IN scrap
books-that / sold twenty three stories which
directly from suggestions made by her. well
as many others which grew Indirectly from such
suggestions. She also gave me quantities OF infor-
nation about people and thrEs in New York.
which was Invaluable me that time. The
same was true IN lesser degree Of other lines Of
work in which had been interested. for there IS
G New-York end 10 everything.
IN SEARCH OF HINTS.
''one must read the daily papers very carefully
Tor hints This need not necessarily occupy very
much time. The pTactised eye VIII skim quickly
over the columns. fastening upon anything which
seems 20 look promising. found most % my sug-
gestons for specials In little items and announce
rnents. OF the kind tucked in al the ends OF
columns il obscure corners. For instance,
noticed little item 10 the effect that there was
q police oficer IN a certain city. wrete
her. she sent material and picture. and
sold a 81 story 10 a syndicate. Again I noticed
that the President had appointed a certain woman
70 an important position. I happened 10 have In
teFy1ewed this woman for my home paper.
and knew enough 10 make a syndicate story about
her. Again the bare announcement Of the
formation of a new society for the protection OF
q certain class OF immigrants. l hunted Up the
people interested. got letter 10 the ageIt on Elis
Island and got IN all five stories from this source
In all 7 find twenty-three stories set down 10 the
credit OF suggestions obtained from the daily
papers also found It useful 20 subscribe for
technical magazines. periodicals published for Ger
tain classes Of readers. subscribed for only two
the first year. though ! might probably have in
creased the number. From one Of them get sus-
gestions for stories From the other ! goe
only three amounting. however. 70 eighteen times
the subscription price
Now I approach source Of material whose
fertility l am somewhat loath . aeknG|Isdge Ledge.
are peryaded by a pleasant atmosphere. ana oc-
met congenIal soul therein but ordinarily it IS
desert waste 70 me eNeyeTtheIess II IS i iihPos pos
ba'1S bss a d,FfereDt circle OF interests and IN
which would never have occurred you otherwise.
find IA my scrapbook twenty-nine stories when
pust credit to the boarding house table; un-
willingly because 1 do not love T. tor Instance @
q from California. al my table. one day men
toned that he had met Charles F. Lummis On the
things about the we'll known Los Angeles lttera-
teur. sold his remarks for g 90. hanging the NJ
A woman, lately returned from Germany told some
1Ebich sold Tor g. one girl al my table was at
the head OF a department Ia a wholesale millinery
and pay OF milners in New-York Two teacn-
ers gave me suggestions which leq 10 wnoie la
series Of color stories on summer schools and pay
places in Manhattan. Conversation with an artist
ed m se G The On liable talk Of an agent os the
charity organization led TO 50 worth OF STUN on
eonadencs in foIloWins this. policy, Every on. one
achieved the goal OF my desires and settled down
IN dear little fiat with blessed mother to keep
house for me found that had lost oehn'te
Sog5St 5It IN my list hnd eighty-hve stories nearly
are cot down under the head OF Original This
arnn q AZ IN this st ali the stories Which
developed indirectly out OF stories coming rom m
fbe things which heard or observed personally;
s sle56s 5as s It seemed 70 me that the
OF those friends was due 70 my o%n perSonaity; &
my mind without ny being able 70 aseriof 70 them hem
..,nTing social call friend told OF the hos-
80 3 s'o's " dTessmaker French woman as I stood
- bs atted one morning gave me an idea about
French mmigranfs which paid FOR the dress Com. CON.
ing home on n packed coney Island boat one night
/ found a seat on the soft side Of a barrel down
a., the lower deck. along with the second mate.
fflnk He had blacS-broWn complexion anc
an engaging smile; and he told me S story pe.
fore We landed. The man who came to fix the gas
range told me a 81 81 story about how ne always
st0od in with the cooks IL the homes OF wealth. a
nlut0cratic friend OF mine rainy day bro9ght
st her Jewel box and al her swell gowns, and lee
me write story about how much Il costs 20 aFess
a smart woman. There Was IN one OF my boarctns
house a coiOred boy who the elevator. He
vas almost white. and possessed OF a mama 70
transfer himself te the ranks Of the brain workeTs
n tie pursuit OF this very worthy ambltlen ne
l e1srsuaIiy an eiad ~ sav landed N cleri-
csl position n q big frm. But before that ne had
appFOached me as 20 the adyiSablity of berornins
d newspaper man. told him % write story
about the tdlOsyncFasi0s OF the boarders as dls-
PLAYED in the elevator. He thereupOn brought me
an article which, although impossible as 20 writ
ing contained, 20 my surprise. some eXcelent ma
tsrial. The boy had the gift of obsefvation " not
% expression; ] reWrote r. and II went on IKE a
hGt cake. being thereafter recognized Win some
nlirth. and also some wrath. IN the house 4 gave
him The entire Iroceees- q somewhat 0uIxoac peE-