Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-25

AS a young woman" writes Anna
Katherine Green. in the August Strand,
Il began to versify. The result was
eventually the volume, The Defence OF
the Bride. Most of these poems ap-
peared from time to time in the maya
zines. and | am reminded by letter
from Emerson. now carefully pre-
served. that he encouraged me to go on
writing verse AT this time my moth
er, who was practically-minded
woman, suggested that / should write
a novel. felt unequal to the task and
said so; but l thought that If ever l
had the courage to undertake the work
il should be one of absorbing plot. My
mind turned to thinking OF plots, and
one day it occurred to me that the
nucleus for a story might be hinged
upon the fact OF a person passing the
open door OF a room, overhearing an
accusation, and attributing il to the
wrong one of the two occupants. This
l coupled with the idea that compli-
cation could be evolved by a guilty
party being the first one to announce
that a crime had been committed. On
these two simple ideas The Leaven-
worth Case was built. But the story
had to be written and a willing pub
Usher found to print it. This all came
about in good season. II took me two
years to write the story, and that all
was successfully accomplished Is
proven by the very complimentary and
encouraging letter from Wilkie Col
Inns that lies before me as ! pen these
lines. Although he writes, my eyes
are failing me. / read the story
through at a sitting. marveling at its
ingenuity 1t was a hard-earned tri-
umph. The story was written on all
kinds and sizes of paper. l must have
written enough for three volumes,
Judging by large drawer full of dis
carded manuscript that | had not the
heart to destroy, even after the book
was in print. But perhaps the hardest
ordeal ] went through was the expert
ence I had when George Haven Put
nam informed me that they thought
well of the story. but that it would
have to be cut down at least 10000
words and then be passed on by Ros-
sitter Johnson before they could under
take its publication. Therefore, with
many misgivings and after long in
terval. / summoned enough courage to
cut into a work that had all but I'M
dermined my health. When l had cut
out as much of the story as I thought
could. there were still 100000 words
left to tell the tale. This was subse-
quentIy cut to $4,000, and since then
have written well-connected epito
IMITATION OF II in 1000 words. The day
for reading the story to Rossiter John
son came and found me in very de-
pressed state OF mind and case of
nerves. did not know Mr.. Johnson as
well then as / do now. When we set
tied down to work his manner was
that of a man who was summoned 10
endure torture. but who meant to do
his duty by the Putnams IL he died for
it The reading lasted "a hours. Mr..
Johnson's only announcement during
the ordeal consisted in saying at the
conclusion OF chapter. Read another
Then he would close his eyes. lean
back. and. when a pause long enough
to indicate that another chapter had
been ended. he would repeat, Read
another and so on to the conclusion
OF the book On leaving. his only COM
ment was. Very good Two days aft
er that the Putnams sent me word
that they would publish the story on
Rossiter Johnson's recommendation.
That was in 1878. Since then the book
has been translated into many Ian
guages. passed through numerous edi-
tions, and is In satisfactory demand
today"