The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-28
An
Author Publisher
By ANDREW c. EWING


day when the boy was much elated a
being made editor of the high schoo
Banner: MY boy. don't get the liter
airy fever. A great many catch 1t, ant
only those recover in whom the liter
airy parasites find nothing to feed on
j fear you have just enough talent TO
writing TO make you uncomfortable al
your life"
Alas, the young are not so constitut
ed as to take the advice of the old
Perhaps this is best as 1t is. 1t is no
success that brings happiness: 1t Ii
striving for success But in literary
work for all but one in million there
are constant disappointments.
Young Robinson was so unfortunate
according to his fathers idea, when ht
went to college as to be made editor
of the university magazine. His es-
says received the highest marks. He
was unconscious of the fact that the
reason they took high rank was be
cause those with which they competed
were of no value as literary produc-
TONS
Mr.. Robinson. ST., died while bis
son was In college. The publishing
business. by the late owners intunc-
ton, was to be carried on. till Leslie
was graduated. by the Junior partner,
after which the son was to manage the
Interests he had inherited. He proved
to have business capacity and soon be-
came the brains of the establishment.
Perhaps IL Leslie Robinson had APP
lpreciated his business talents he might
have lost his desire for literary emf
nence. He considered himself rather
born to literature than to business
Finding time to manage publishing
house and scribble, at the same time
he did both. He sent articles to the
magazines, and they were always ac-
cepted They were good articles. so
that 1t was not necessary for Mr. Rob
inson to ask how much their accept
ance was due to their merit and how
much to their having been offered by
the head Of the publishing house OF
Robinson & Co.
After awhile Mr. Robinson brought
out novel; 1t was accepted by the
first publisher TO whom 1t was offer
ed. Robinson scorned to publish 1t
himself He said that the test Of
good book is that business man
will risk his money on it. IL cost sew
eral thousand dollars to get out an
edition of book. and unless the article
was of sufficient merit TO insure a re-
turn 1t would not find publisher.
He was still young in the business or
he would have known that the higher
the type the less the profit. The poet
Browning would have starved had he
been forced to live on the income he
derived from his poems.
Robinson published several books.
one after another. He did not succeed
in becoming well known as an author,
but had no difficulty In securing pub
fishers for what he wrote. BY and |
by the publishers began TO ask him
to give them his books for publication |
This was q long step to the front |
Leslie was very proud of himself
Those associated with him in business
asked him why If his books were val
liable 10 other publishers they were |
not valuable to him. He replied that |
to publish his own works would make
it appear that he could not get any
other house to take the risk Of do
ing so.
Robinson married a girl with good
deal of horse sense. 1t did not re-
Quire long time for her to see that
her husband was an excellent business
man. She knew that persons are apt
not to value what they are born to and
are easily pulled up with little sue
cess at what they do indiferently
well. One day she had the temerfty
to tell her husband that he was nat
urally fitted for business-indeed, 1t
was his natural vocation.
A dispute arose between them
which ended In an agreement that the
next novel offered by him should be
under an assumed name. Robinson
WINGED at this suggestion made by his
wife, for he knew the value of a name.
but be admitted that IL his novel had
not sufficient merit to find a publisher
without his name It could not be
literary gem. At any rate, he was
willing to abide by the test.
His work was sent first to the pub
Usher who had thus far put out all
bis books. Within a week II was |
with printed unavailable" '
card. This was great fall for his
literary pride. For the next six
months he continued to send his work
to his brother publishers. Most of
them kept It long while. He thought
this meant that they Ewere making up
their minds. IL was not this, but that ,
they were too busy to examine 1t. At
the end Of the six months 1t had gone
the rounds.
The day It came back from the last
publisher Robinson saw a novel adj
vertised by one of his brother publish !.
ers, the author of which had stood :
trial for murder. 1t appalled, him that !;
this man could find publisher and i
ne could not AS a last resort he tried d
his own firm. Sending his manuscript
% himself, on its arrival he turned 1t t
over TO his chief reader, who sent 1t 5
back to him with the following report: .
The author says all he has to say re-
well. But he has nothing to
Jay D
No one knows why Leslie Robinson ?