The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-01-09
The
AnaZOnS
A Story Showing How
a Story Came to
Be Written
By EMMA BLAKE

whats this. Cartwright" asked Mr.
| Chandler. managing partner of the
firm of Chandler Bros, publishers.
This manuscript comes from Hay
thorn Hayes. didn't understand
when he went away that he had an
unpublished novel finished"
Nor |, sir. Nevertheless this manu-
script has been sent us by express,
and a letter has come by mail with
regard to it,
Mr.. Cartwright handed his employer
| q type written letter, which read as
| follows:
Messrs. Chandler Bros.
Dear Sirs-On the eve Of my departure
| find manuscript, which l send you by
| express II was written some time ago
and laid aside until i should have made
market for 1t by other work more likely TO
be accepted by wider though perhaps
lower grade of readers. l have no time to
enter further into particulars. Perhaps
you will use it during my absence. Very
| truly yours, ii. H.
Mr.. Chandler read the letter and
looked puzzled.
DO you think there is anything
wrong about it," asked Cartwright.
II don't know that there is. If on
either the manuscript or the letter
there was scrap of Hayes writing
would like it better. However. you
may have the story read and If there
is marked difference between its
style and that of his other works let
me know"
The reader reported that there was
a considerable difference between the
style of THE Aeronaut" and that Of
Mr.. Hayes other works. There was
crudity in it that indicated he had
written 1t before he had had much
practice.
Chandler Bros. were in quandary.
They had published two novels for
Haythorn Hayes under his initials, N.
H." with very good success. They had
advised him to print his full name on
the title page, and he had ignored their
advice to his sorrow. for with success
came a desire to be known as sue
cessful author. But since III. H." was
well known to the public and Haythorn
Hayes was not, novel by the latter
would not reap the benefit Of the ad-
vertising Of one by the former He
was therefore obliged to continue to
publish under his initials.
There's no hope Of reaching Hayes"
said the head Of the publishing firm.
HE has gone up the Amazon river to
find the legendary amazon women,
who he believes have or have had
real existence, with a view to writing
a story about them. If we don't pub
lish this "AerOnaut'' We'll doubtless Of
fend him, and when he returns some
rival firm will get his Amazon novel.
Put the book in press and advertise
largely that it Is forthcoming. We
must make sure Of the story be is aft
er. and the best way to do so is to put
him under obligations to US by BOOM
ing this 'Aeronaut' story"
"The Aeronaut" was offered to the
publishers late in the autumn and was
rushed through for the spring trade. A
paragraph in a literary journal had an
nounced Mr.. Hayes departure with
view to getting material for unique
novel. and his publishers occasionally
logged the memory of the public by an
item as to the singular possibilities of
such a theme.
However, when 1.-THE Aeronaut" ap-
peared 1t very soon became manifest
that it must stand on its own merits
Being unlike Mr.. Hayes other works.
it did not appeal especially to his ad
mirers. For some time it looked as
though it would be a failure. Those
dealers who had bought copies with
the privilege of returning those that
were unsold began to send them in by
| the hundreds
Never mind" said Mr.. Chandler
well make 1t all up on the Amazon
deal"
But one day there came a call for
more copies Of THE Aeronaut" by
prominent dealer. which was followed
| by new orders from other booksellers
| There was evidently a call for the
work on the part of the public. 1t was
| not long before the fact was recOg
nized that the sale of the book had
| taken start. The start became "A de-
mand and the demand became clamUr
from the dealers to supply the public.
|
passed that of any of Mr.. Hayes other
works and increased his reputation
tenfold
| Chandler Bros. thought 1t q good OPP
portunity to make advertising capital
Of the fact that no one knew who n.
H." was. They therefore had an item
inserted In newspaper stating that
he was prominent playwright named
| Henry Harbeson. Mr.. Harbeson de-
MED the change Another item named
another man. and it was not long be-
fore half dozen prominent persons
were trying to put off an honor that
did not belong to them. Chandler
Bros. chuckled and refused positively
to give the name Of the real author.
Meanwhile Haythorn Hayes was
hunting for the amazons In the interior
Of South America. Nothing came from
him for year. at the end Of which
time he reappeared at the mouth OF
the river from the AmaZonas province
Of Brazil and reported that he had
found traces Of the amazon women.
But he would give no particulars.
| Chandler Bros. made as much or the