The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-07
GHOSTS"
WORRY THE ENGLISH
Don't Like Idea That Stories
Signed by Popular Authors
May Be by Someone Else.
From a Staff Correspondent.

From Staff Correspondent.
LONDON, Feb. 6-Readers on this
side of the water are getting decidedly
curious to know how much there really
IS behind all the suggestions that have
been made recently as to the existence
OF literary ghosts" That is, unknown
scr1bes who are said to write novels,
short stories or what not to be signed
oy authors of reputation and published
as their work. And that the public
should be getting interested in this
question is rather natural considering
the defniteness Of some Of the state
ments that have been made of late. 1t
was the remarkable letter signed,
Proxy" and published in The Author
the official organ Of the Society Of
Aufhors-that started the discussion.
Us writer, who described himself as
the real author of two stories that
nave appeared serially and in book.
form as the original work Of a well
known literary man." declared that the
occupation OF literary ghost was quite
a common one. Moreover. this mar
ticular spirit defended his calling
sturdliy. may be allowed, perhaps"
ne began, TO draw attention to the adj
vantages which the system of farming
notion may be said to possess where
the interests of the unknown writer
tne gnost-the haek-the proxy-can
MIN what you wfll-are at stake
reasonably" he went on, ingenuously.
1 look upon the well known writer who
Farms Qua his work as a sort OF heav
eh-Sent being and not, as many an
pear 10 consider him, a species of inn
poster. ASK any writer of popular fic-
ton and he will tell you that every
year the applications he receives for
long stories as we'll as for short stories
increased until ii has come to this: C1l
He must decline to undertake To eet
through more than a eomDaratfveIv
small amount Of work; (2) he must
scamp portion of the work he has
agreed to do, and thus, in the long run.
rum MS well earned reputation for
producing interesting stories: (S) he
must call in the aid of a proxy, or. in
other wards, farm out the surplus"
since the appearance OF this letter
there nave been misunderstanding on
the part of the Society of Authors-to
explain 1t away as 'jeu d'esprit," but
there Is a general belief, notwithstand-
ing, that the document was genuine
ana, as the result of inquiries in the
New Grub street of today the writer
found no one prepared to deny the ex-
istence of literary ghosts" 1t was de-
CARED IN fact, and the names Of both
parties to the transaction given. that
one OF the most famous writer's in this
country, who has been represented by
rather considerable amount of work
IN the past year. had been dependent
for much of it upon the efforts of
paid hack-the distinguished husband
OF rather well known woman writer.
ne thing seems incredible. but my in
formants declared that there was no
doubt about 1t whatever.
As might perhaps be expected, the
editor of a POPULAR magazine declared
when interviewed on the subject, that
the ghost stories" were absurd. IF bad
work appears under a popular writer's
name" said this editor, The will soon
decline in public favor; whereas, on
the other hand, IL ghost can turn
out consistent good work, there is every