The sun., 1907-08-04
TIE STRUGGLING YOUNG~AUTHOR.
Has Book on the StOcks. NOw-Secs Sue
c~ss Ahead n He Can do One Thing.

Has Book on the stocks. Now-Sccs Sue
crss Ahead II He Can do One Thing.
-Yes." said the struggling young author.
Il am still on the job, still plugging away,
and not a bit discouraged though the stuff
has been. until lately, mostly coming back
Just the same.
Speaking Of the stuff coming back
reminds one Of the publishers printed
forms Of declination; polite always, but
they are all just the same now as they were
when first began, ~and really wonder a
little at that. The publishers are all the
time calling for new and original things on
the part OF the authors. Why don't they
themselves display some originality. in
vent occasionally a new form Of declina-
ton?
Wouldn't this be a sort Of spur or in
centive to the authors as showing that the
publishers practised what they preached.
and that sort Of thing? But l don't know.
Perhaps il they did get up new forms now
and then should feel for a time. when
first saw them. as il were dealing with
strangers. whereas now when see the old
familiar forms l seem to he dealing with
friends. and perhaps it is better as it is.
But after ALL this is really trifing mat
ter, the question of real importance being.
Is my own work improving? think it is.
AS I hook over. which l sometimes do.
the stuff that submitted only a few short
years ago think now that the publishers
were justified in sending it back. For while
it had ideas in it, still it wasn't finished 1t
hau piind places in it. where the readeg
might get lost-places where the writer had
himself not surveyed and laid out the road
clear and open fields Of surplusage.
Not that all surplusage is superfuous-
far from il! How many stories do we read
that depend for their charm solely upon
the manner OF their telling. stories which.
stripped to the bare facts contained in them
would not be worth telling at all! II we
should take the perfume from the rose and
then it's color Il would be but a cabbage in
miniature. not worth the pluckng, So OF
manv story, which gives US delight not
because OF it's substance, but because of it's
dress ana trimmings. OF the manner in
which it is told and from which not so much
as a spangle could be removed without
injury 10 the whole.s
But glitter az these spangIes may In
our own minds. not all Of US are able to
evolve them In perfect form and then to
place them just where they belong, and
looking over that old stuff / find that mine
were not always perfectly wrought and that
they were scattered rather promlscuously,
and think now that they were kind to me
who checked my flight ard 30 gave me
these years OF further practise.
(which l trust have not wasted. I have
even sold q few little things recently. and
now I confide To you that have hook on
the stocks which ! confidently expect will
he found in due time well up among the
six best sellers; this to depend solely, in my
oDinton uDOn ilst one thing.
Lately / bought book In which I ex-
pected to find great enjoyment. When
that book came and l first hefted It l
thought il must be bound. not In muslin
it was so heavy; though not a big book 1t
weighed thought about four pounds, which
weight however, I found presently to be
not In iron covers but in the paper on which
the book was printed.
II lighted my. pipe and tackled this book
at 7:3O after dinner and II opened up de-
, lightfully. but at O'Clock my pipe was
out and had lost my place. my mind waa
quite distracted and only my muscles at
attention with holding that book; my arms
achcd and my back and legs; | should have
said now that that book weighed not four
pounds. but four tons; and could anybody
fnd pleasure in reading book like that?
And shall never dare to buy another
book by the same author for fear OF finding
y printed on the same kind OF paper. No
, the addition OF this dead weight. which
shall avoid carrying II I can.
My book Ia all right, I think, and II I
I can only get my publisher to print &c with
clear type and good viii on unloaded paper
hold and that so shall not detraot from
but add to the readers enjoyment in read
ing IL, why I feel that my fortune will DO
made: then shall be no longer struggling
~~s s.,r.t 81. s-rr@