The San Francisco call., 1909-01-17

the support of appreciative understand
ing of and sympathy with his work
before that work is recognized as good
by those that sit in the seats OF the
literary mighty-the editors and pub
fishers? I, at any rate, know nothing
much better; and this pleasure was
mine in the case OF "90o9." That novel,
like many another big book. was
turned down by shortsighted editors
and publishers before 1t found It's
haven; but I'm glad to be able to say
Especially now that the book has been
so successful, for all prophets desire to
be justified Of their prophecies) that
from the time I read "9009" IN manu-
script / was sure OF it-and that told
Hopper so.
He is doing well In New York, ia
Hopper; his boom is not that OF the
two hundred thousander literary circus
performer. to be sure. yet It is a boom
all right and he's booming with IT.;
but / am willing to bet a hat or two
that it will not be long before he Is
back in Carmel, chipping his particu-
lar make of arrowhead phrases to shoot
at fame, and to shoot at that finer,
rarer. more enduring game. viz, the
Joy of doing real work for It's own
sake.
From Hopper's bungalow I strolled
to Mary Austins deserted "wickiup." :"
O6LW
and supported by three pine trees.
from which the author can look out
and down upon a charming vista OF
valley and sea- The vandal had been
there before the literary pilgrim, and
had carved or penciled his multifari-
Gus name. ]. B. Tompkins. r. Mont
morency. etc. (of which the root mean
ing is always ass). upon the board
ing OF the wtckiup. Mrs. Austin, how
ever. will soon return from Paris and
keep the vanda1 away from the wicki-
up in person; even, / guess, as she
keeps him away from her books; by
the barrier of her charming styles
which, a thing OF subtle color and
perfume, Is one not for the vandal,
but for the lovers of the real thing
folks like you and me. dear readers,
eh7 I am told that Mrs. Austin's let
ters home to her friends are full Of
evidences of Carmelitis. She says that
the talk of the studios, of the Latin
quarter, Is not nearly so good as the
talk of the tribe at home; nor Is the
work being done there any better or
finer than the work here, and when IT
comes to beauty OF envtronment-i
Beauty of environment at Carmel Is
seen perhaps in its finest guise from
the veranda of George Sterling's cot
tage. At the foot OF the hill on which,
appropriately enough, this Parnassian,
George Sterling. listens to the testi-
mony of the suns and conjures with
the wizardry of the sunset wine. Grant
Wallace has his experimental ranch.
In front Of the poets house. too. there
Is garden. or near farm, whore once,
so hear, he began to raise a crop OF
Irish potatoes and Ionian Strawberries,
mixed; but the real crops raised here
are iambics and dactyls. anapests and
trochaics, and such like Parnassian
garden truck. Sterling was just look
ing over his new volume, "A Wine of
Wizardry" when the humble pilgrim
Cor tramp OF letters) tackled him for
a "handout" In the shape OF any crumbs
Of gossip that might be lying around
loose. I didn't get much. Sterling
doesn't seem to know much about the
business (not unknown among other
poets ! might mention) of handing out
scraps Of gossip to the public for the
purpose of stimulating it's appetite for
books. Sterling seems to feel (al-
though he didn't have anything to say
on the subject) that his business as a
writer begins. IS centered around. and
ends wtth-with writing. ....---...