The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-07
ARE LITERARY CHILDREN

Two Little Girls Who are Gaining
Fame as Writers for Papers Mt
Tender Ages.
A few days ago the Minneapolis
journal contained the pictures of
Blanche and Eva McClatchie, daugh-
tiers of Mr.. and Mrs. j. w. McClatch-
lie. OF hat city, and who were form
er residents of this county, living
near Mt. Vernon. The little girls are
making great Roadway in thir liter
AIRY efforts and to such an extent as
TO receive the following recognition
in tie Minneapolis Journal. togeth-
CT With their portraits:
u. w. McClatchie. an active mem
Der of the Chamber of Commerce
and long prominent on the floor, has
a hobby that differs greatly from the
fads of most of the members who &C
in for automobiles, ice boating, ply
Steal development, bridge whist and
other up-to-date pastimes. Mr.. Nc
Claiche finds his main interest, out-
side of his business, in the activities
of his two girls, in each of whom
there appears to have been placed
the childish literary penchant that
with maturity may lead them to
greater than local renown.
To watch them at work, hear their
plans and s%peculations as to success
expected, or to be tried for, and their
mutual Joy when either II finds
contribution accepted, is as much a
source of pleasure to j. w. himself
as to the girls. They are persistent
writer's. and that their work has
merit the following will attest:
blanche McClatchie has been
writing principally for The Mime
apolis Journal Jnior, since she was
10 Years of age. The number 23,
lucky in her case, stands as her re-
cord to date, for no less than that
in the time named been accepted.
Miss Blanche, who is now old enough
to leave the Calhoun school for the
West high, is the owner Of ten hon
or buttons, four juior buttons and,
additional thereto, has won three
cash prizes. A West high credit is
a later distinction. Miss Blanche is
an indefatigable writer and a search
er for original ideas to express
but the house at 5000 Emerson
avenue S is the scene also of the lit
erary activities of Eva McClatchie,
and though she has not as many priz-
es as her sister, being only IL years
old and having written for about a
year only, she is an aggressive and
ambitious young scribe who seems
likely to give her sister competition
for honors. Four stories have been
accepted, to date, and Eva has a
junior button and has won a cash
prize. But the greatest single honor
that has yet befallen the two sisters
was secured by Eva, who sent a
child's story to st. Nicholas, breaking
with some timidity into this larger
field of the east, where great Liter
airy Orges are supposed to live who
devour little girls who dare pre-
sumo to think they can write good
enough stories to find acceptance.
But the Ogre in this case proved to
be a noted literary man, editor Of St.
Nicholas, who wrote Eva a very kind
ly letter, with his big autograph at
the bottom, informing her that her
story was a good one and that in
closed she would find a check in pay
ment thereof, which check was right
there pinned onto the letter.
With such encouragement as that
it was not surprising that the two
sisters Immediately drew a requisi-
ton upon father for a new box of
pens, reams and reams of paper, and
nave been scratching away like a
couple of little chickens and throw
ing ink around the McClatchie resi-
dence in great shape ever since"