The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-11-30


teryieWs except natural interviews
that Is TO say, conversations which
could occur naturally in real life.
Necessarily an interview must b
one Of two things. question and an
swcr. or monoiog. Neither of these
Is quite what Is wanted 10 an inter
view. The question aud answer
process belongs In the court. and the
parties 70 Il are a lawyer who wants
10 find cut something. and the Wit
ness Who often wishes 20 defeat the
lawyers desire.
"Manifcstiy this process could no,
produce a valuable interview since
II would lack its most interesting
FEATURE. the attempt 20 conceal what
the interviewed person had been
questioned about In the case of the
interviewed It Is no trouble To con
coal. for the accused can decline TO
answer when you put him tn an IN
comfortable place. and As there II
no compulsion upon him the subject
has 10 he changed The result must
always be q eolorleas interview. for
abe subject s changed az exactly the
moment when !; Is about % become
interesting
but never mind about the forms.
the real trouble about an intervisw
h. that the matters touched upon are
always suggested BY the interviewer
and As he cannot know shat Il OF
first interest In the prisoners mind
he IL not likely. save BY accident. &c
suggest a topic that the prisoner
can talk about with any real
warmth.
1T Is most unlikely that either Of
you gentlemen with a week 10 pre-
pare IN could guess the subject
which II not only uppermest In my
mind this morning. but Is occupy
Ing and solsdly packing 70 the e1-
clusion of all other interests the
whole spacious flrmament Of a.
That subject will seem 70 you and
10 everybody else trivial whereas ia
me for just this day and train only
II ID Of first importance. II IL the
matter Of neutrality-suspicious. Of me
Many people think I am a happy
man. bat am not; Il IL because my
portraits do me justice. ! have a
highly organized and sensitive con-
stiiutlon and an edueafed taste In
eetheties. and | cannot abide a por-
trait which IL too particular ! am
as I was made-this is a disaster
which I cannot help and am In no
way Responsible for. but Is there
any fair reason Why the artist
should notice that7 do him no
harm. YET he always exercises this
wantan and malicious frankness
upon my portraits
Il should ike 20 be drawn once.
before ! reach 20 aeain. as ! should
look II had been made right In
stead Of carelessly.
You must not expect me 10 be
calm and collected when 7 am
talking upon the subject which
has made my life a bitterr 49, I
could be handsome IL the artist
would only help. but he has never
done this.
Even the camera has always
entered with enthusiasm into this
conspiracy 10 paint me az am.
There Is one photograph which has
peraeeuted me for what may be
fairly termed a lifetime saruny
took that portrait and in all these
years ! see il In print oftener than
any other II arrived once more
yesterday with this remark. With
this ! enclose a picture Of your
self In the Detroit Journal OF
course It II a wood cut. but I pre-
sumo not a bad picture In which
you can see yourself as others see
you
NO doubt the presumption is
right. That II just the fault / find
with r. I have explained that por-
trait great many times. Il Is such
a distress to me when I see II. that
] always put down my work and
Explain II. ! have explained II 10
this Lansing gentleman in a die
tated letter last night, and II you
would DO me the kindness 10 print
that letter, maybe I shan't have 10
explain again for a month"
Twain handed over a letter adj
dressed 10 Samuel II. Row. Of Ian
sing Mich, who in recent com
fnunleation recalled to the humOrist
how when you .xere young and
handsome ! had the pleasure OF In
Producing you 10 q Lansing audi
ence." Mr. Row recalled that dur.