St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-12-17
A DAUGHTERS
SACRIFICE 4 4
Bx MARCEL PROVOST

WE WE'RE talking one evening
w over our cigars and coffee in
Armand G-'s beautiful library,
after a dinner that was perfectly
planned to stimulate the minds of men
who live by their brain and pen. We
spoke of woman's invasion in the field
OF contemporary literature.
The name of "authoress" is legion in
the English language. Out OF every
three novels from across the Channel
or the wider ocean two are signed by
feminine name. And the custom is
spreading in France.
v, a surly protectionist in all
matters of art, detested the feminine
party.
mot a single one of them has shown
talent superior to the least Of us" he
growled, land they exceed the biggest
OF US in envy and vanity. l keep away
from petticoats as l would raging
fre.".
Upon my word, l must have been
l.lore lucky than you in my meeting OF
the fair writer's" exclaimed our host.
Il have the most cordial relations with
certain literary petticoats. And just
recently was forced to make COM
parison between one of my brother aa-
thors and his opponent which was en-
| tirely to the advantage Of Miss Petit
| coats"
We Immediately demanded the
sto:y:
| Willingly" he replied. 1T is in
stzuctiye and interesting. A scholar
| wosld even say that it was a good con-
tTibution to the chronicle OF literary
feminism. will begin at once.
Like all the rest of you, l received
| q good many letters from strangers.
| Many are mere waste paper, some abu-
| sive, and by far the greater number
ask for help in influence or money.
These last I never read without a
witch at my heartstrings. In the face
of the paper dated from some country
town or eccentric corner of faris i'm
agine can read such anxiety and dis
| tress as once felt, struggling writer
without genius or fortune.
why should have succeeded where
so many fail? I know well that GER
tain professional beggars write in turn
to every author. do not care. an
swer each letter as it comes, if only to
say that l am powerless to help.
Toward the end of last year l re-
ceived letter signed by name l did
not know: Jean Seguin. He had writ
ten novel; he wished to submit 1t
to me, and, if I was pleased with it,
would help him to find a paper and
an editor?
Il answered: Send me your manu-.
script For if the reading of strange
manuscripts is one of our most tire
some duties. I hold that it Is one Of
the most imperious.
~ did not have long to wait. 1t was
a large manuscript, finely written, In
feminine hand which did not seem
to me that of professional copyist.
II opened it without enthusiasm-it
is SO rare a surprise to discover any
thing beyond an eager ignorance, OF
at the most a certain clever imitation
read the first pages YEARLY; they
were heavy and embarrassed.
. Later, situation was sketched il
curiously handled environment. Evi
IDENTIFY it was wonan's own history
with real letters and incidents thai
had happened.
/ II became so interested that l fin
ished the entire manuscript at a sin
! gle sitting. 1t was at night, remem
Der, and the clock pointed to ten min
utes past two when at last l LOOKED
up.
: I'm the Joy Of my discovery, sa
| down and wrote Immediately to tn,
Z author, congratulating him and beg
ging him to come to see me. tolt
/ him he might hope for much.
: 1.-TWO days later, in the morning, m!
faithful Constant handed me card
t Jean Seguin. 8 rue Renouard."
1.-THE lady says that she has an en-
: gagement with you. sir
Il hsd guessed Alright; Jean Segui1
: was q woman.
$ "Sha was introduced. saw a lad,
{ OF aboat rs, dressed in black, with ir
regular features, but of a charmin,
; freshness, her face surrounded b,
3 bands Of chestnut hair that waved nat
] urally. The mouth, rather large, wa
e smiling; the nose was characterless
but the brown eyes. which looked
t straight into mine, were deep and in
telligeat.
z You are the author Of 1.-THE Nor
tai Test" mademoiselle?' asked.
Yes. sir
Z ".Cood. l do not like the title 20,
have chosen, but the work is full O
merit l am surprised that SO young
a wo,aan should have written SO vel
4 at the start
"l have worked for a long time
MONSIEUR she replied simply.
"Ftarlessly, and even with q Ger
tain pride, she told me that she hat
been a schoolmistress, but had Away
loved literature. and from the tim