The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-28

THERE is published In an English
periodical a brief sketch Of Jack
1 Londons life, written by himself.
lack London Is already we'll known In
his country. but there are nevertheless
scns interesting facts presented In this
article particularly a. they come Mt hrst
hand 1t Is from this "self-interview'
that these paragraphs are taken:
81 was born In San Francisco in 1875.
AT Is ] was man among men. and II
/ had a spare nickel I spent Il on beer
instead Of candy. because I thought Il
was more manly to buy beer. Now. when
nv years are doubled, ! am out on q hunt
/ am less curious than at any other time
OF my life. Guess I'll nnd that boyhood I!
Almost the first things ] realised were
responsibilities. I have no recollection Of
being taught to read or write---l could DO
roth at the age OF 6-but know that my
went out on ranch with my folka, and
AZ ranch boy worked hard from my
eighth year.
"The second school where I tried to
nick up a little leaf ming was an irregular
ii, or miss AFFAIR at San Mateo. One Of
ny earliest and strongest impressions was
Of the Ignorance Of other people. ! had
Aihambra before ] was .. but could
never understand how Il was that the
other ranchers knew nothing about Il.
my other reading matter consisted
mainly OF dime novels borrowed from the
hired men and newspapers In which the
servants gloated over the adventures Of
poor but virtuous shopgirls.
Before I was II ! left the ranch and
came TO Oakland. where I spent % much
OF my time In the free public library.
eagerly reading everything that came to
hand that l developed the f,rst stages OF
St vitus's dance from lack Of exercise.
p.s!llusions quickly followed as I learned
more OF the world. The adventure lust
was strong within me and I left home.
didn't run. I just left-went out In the
bay and Joined the oyster pirates. The
days Of the oyster pirates are now past.
and " had got my dues for piracy
would have been given 500 years In
prison. Later ! shipped A. . sailor on .
schooner and also took q turn at salmon
fishing Oddly enough. my next occupation
vas on = Ash patrol, where ] was en-
trusted with the arrest OF any vioiators
OF the fishing laws. Numbers OF lawlssG
Chinese. Greeks and Italians we're At that
time engaged In Illegal fishing and many
a patrolman paid his life for his Interior
steel table fork. but ! felt fearless and q
man when ! climbed over the side Of q
boat to arrest some marauder.
Subsequently l shipped before the
mast and sailed for the japanese coast on
p seal hunting expedition. later going "a
Behring Sea. After sealing for seven
months. came back to California and
took odd jobs at coal shovelling and
iongshoring. and also In a jute factory
where l worked from 8 In the morning
until : at night.
"In my ntful school days I had writer
the usual compositions, which had been
praised In the usual way. and while work
Ing In the jute mills I still made An occa'
sional try. The factory occupied thir.
teen hours OF my day. and being young
and husky I wanted q little time for my
self. so there was little left for com
position. The San Francisco Call offcret
u prize for a descriptive article. My
mother urged me to try for 1t and l did
,akng for my subject Typhoon on thu
Coast OF Japan Very tired and sleep,
and knowing 1 had TO be UP at half pas
began the article at midnight anc
worked straight on until l had writer
Two thousand words. the limit OF the ar
,icle. bu, with my idea only half worket
out The next night, under the same
conditiona ! continued. adding another
two thousand words before ! finished, ant
then the third night ] spent In cutting
out the excees. so As TO bring the article
within the conditions OF the contest. Thu
arst prize came to me, and the second and