The San Francisco call., 1910-03-06
Gossip of Books and Writers

GOSSIP or BOO
Miss Maria ParIoa, who died last
autumn at her Connecticut home, would
hardly have called her cook books lit
erature, but some of her papers on
home and home making combined ex-
cellent form with their sound common
sense, and her work was extraordinar-
ily remunerative Like thousands of
New England women compelled TO
maintain themselves. she first turned
to teaching, but dissatisfied with it's
meager rewards and its still more mea-
ger prospects of giving her opportuni-
ties for travel and study, she made
cookery her stepping stone to affluence.
She took charge of a hotel Kitchen in
order to master methods; she studied
chemistry and physiology; she put her
self in the hands or the best available
teacher of elocution, and with Low
tiles and Morris draperies and all the
characteristic decorations of the
esthetic schol in high favor in 1871,
sac transformed the upper floor of an
old Colonnade row house into such
combination of kitchen and lecture
room Is Boston never saw before and
proceeded to capture the town with
its first demonstration lectures on cook
ing. How many editions of her cook
books were sold before she ceased to
lecture is beyond reckoning and special
editions continue to appear. Her later
and more ambitious work is equally in
demand.
She crossed the Atlantic many times.
visiting all the places that she had
desired to see in her girIhood and she
made a pretty home for herself in
more than one city. She was an excel
lent example of what a woman may
make herself, yet neither starve nor
cry. In private she was an honest,
faithful friend. kindly fostering the
endeavors of her younger imitators and
speaking well of her contemporaries.
Cheerfulness was her most sterling
characteristic, and although she had
sorrows she so bore then that only
those very near her ever guessed their
existence. She was so pleasant"
A magazine editor, through whose
office several hundred manuscripts are
said to drift daily. in speaking of the
peculiarities of the short story writer
relates that the latter is almost in
variably crude and lacking in the
technique of his art In his first ESSAYS
al fiction. The exception that proved
this rule was one of our leading story
writers. whose first manuscript fell into
the hands of this particular editor The
manuscript in question came from an
out of the way western town and the
HdAic dppGnUGQ TO IL was absolutely
unknown. 1t gave evidence of such
maturity. however. and was altogether
so finished a product of the short story
writer's art that the editor at once
became suspicious. feeling that hoax
was being played on him. and inSti-
tuted inquiries which finally resulted
in proving that the story was abso-
lutely and genuinely original and, fur
thermore. was the maiden effort of
drug clerk in a backwoods town. Not
withstanding this solitary instance to
the contrary, this editor still main
tains that the short story writer un-
like the poet. is never born, and is al
ways made.
Hsmlin Garland has been in New
York for the last fortnight Part of
this time he has been engaged with
his publishers in regard to the writing
or new book that he is said TO have
in view. Mr.. Garlands home is in
Chicago, where he has just been re-
elected president of the literary and
arts club, The Cliff Dwellers. of that
city.
Charles B. Reed. the brother of
MYRTLE Reed, is a practicing physician
and known as a lecturer on historical
matters. He has just written book
called The First Great Canadian" in
which he tells the story of Pierre lie
AlVyitts k1ttUI u AbCt NAiAN. Tie DOVh
contains many illustrations from rare
prints.
Mary H. Fee, for the last three years
stationed as teacher In the Philip
pines. has just completed a study OF
various phases of life in those islands.
which will be published shortly under
the title. "A woman's Impressions Of
the Philippines"
Rev. Ford c. Ottman. author OF "The
Unfolding of the Ages has recently
returned from a world tour in which
he has been associated in Australia
and the orient with the Chapman
Alexander evangelistic movement.
"Predestinei-A Novel of New York
Life" by stephen French Whitman,
will be published by the Scribners in
February. Although this is Mr. Whit
mans first novel; he is we'll known as
a magazine writer. and one Of his
stories recently won the Golfers s10.-
600 prize for the best short story
To many Americans il may be a sur
prise to learn that the late Georze
Meredith was for many years reader
to one OF the oldest and most famous
English publishing firms. Chapman &
Hall. which published the works of
Charles Dickens