Washington telegraph., 1911-07-14
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Literary Light Who Was Alto
gether Too Versatile.
Edward Eggleston's Failure to Equal
His First Success Was Due to
Fact That He Scattered
His Abilities.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

AT one period III MS career Donald
G. Mitchell, better known to the world
of readers as Tx Marvel, creator of
"Reveries of Bachelor" was tempt
ed from his retirement at "Edgewood,"
his farm, then upon the outskirts of
New Haven, Conn, to assume the ed
itorial management OF weekly pub
lication called Hearth and Home"
Mr.. Mitchell, however, found the
post somewhat irksome, and further
more it interfered with the literary
work he was doing at home. The
editing of this periodical is of itself
not irksome," he explained, "hut it en-.
tails two or three trips week back
and forth between New Haven and
New York, and for that reason | have
given it up
Mr.. Mitchells successor as editor
of this periodical was Edward Eggles-
ton. Like Charles Dudley Warner,
Mr.. Eggleston suddenly emerged from
comparative literary obscurity with
such suddenness and with such daz-
zling illumination that he was regard
ed for time as sure to become recog-
nized as a great American writer of
fiction. His venture, however, was
accidental and due to an emergency.
The story has often been told, but |
will repeat enough Of it to illustrate
the new anecdote am about to tell.
Mr.. Eggleston was disappointed
about receiving a serial contribution
which he expected for Hearth and
Home" Not knowing what to do or
where to go for substitute. he de-
termined to make use of some of his
experiences as a Methodist circuit
rider in Indiana. He, therefore, on the
spur of the moment almost, wrote the
first installment of story entitled
THE Hoosier Schoolmaster." 1t ap-
peared In 1871 and no one was more
astonished at, the instant success of
this, his first venture into fiction, than
was Mr.. EgglestDn himself. 1t de-
termined his career, for he decided to
take up literature as a vocation.
The question has often been asked;
Why did Eggleston never quite re-
peat his first success? He had other
his first Why? Probably the best
answer to that question was the one
once given by Donald G. Mitchell.
"Eggleston's 'Hoosier Schoolmas.
ter" said Mr.. Mitchell, was so racy
of the soil, was so evidently a true
picture of Indiana life, and moreover,
had just the touch of illusion that is
necessary for success in fiction, that
it is no wonder it gained widespread
and well deserved popularity, and
that many persons looked for subse-
quent works of fiction that would be
its equal in all respects. But Eggles.
ton never quite reached that high
mark, and he knew it as we'll as any
one. He explained it to me by saying
that If 1t were not for a versatility
which he possessed he undoubtedly
would have made a great career as q
writer of American fiction. His ver-
satility, however, haunted him. He
could write good fiction, he could write
good history, he could write good BIZ
ography. If he had been able to con-
centrate himself upon any one of these
departments of literature, he was sure
that he would have gained hi&&
measure of success. My versatilitysGS
the bane of my LSGgary life,' he told
me, and 1t is my impression that in
saying that he was an accurate critic
of himself. And after he had said
that he added-and l could see that
it came from the heart:
IF | were ever called upon to give
any counsel to young man ambitious
to gain literary success, would most
surely and earnestly say to him:
Study my career, and be warned by
it. Don't scatter your abilities. Con-
centrate them upon one department Of
literature. Then, If you do not sue
ceed, you may be sure that literature
is not your vocation!'"
Copyright, 1911 by f. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved9