The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
FINDS IN BIBLE BEST
SHORT TALE WRITTEN
Frank Harris. Writer, Tells i'm
Lecture of Decision After
Long Study.
IT'S PARABLE OF WOMAN

Frank Harris, the short story writer
,and critic told an amusing story about
himself and his effort to make living
by writing last evening In the Kennerley
Building at 80 West Fifty-eighth street.
Arnold Bennett had part In the tale.
81 had brought out book OF American
short stories said Mr.. Harris to an
audience that had gathered to hear him
lecture on the short story. land Macmil-
Ian had been the publisher. They were
the fruit Of a five year residence In Amer
lea and fully a year and a half OF good
hard work had been devoted TO the writ
ing.
what was my edfcation then. some
time after the book had appeared, TO
receive from Macmillan a check for IL
shilling3 and pence, the total receipt
for my laborious Efforts
There was litter OF appreciation as
Mr. Harris told this story. The litter
increased to laugh as he concluded
with the part about Arnold Bennett:
Later ! was talking to Arnold Bennett
one das In London and recounted this
experience to him.
But the trouble with you. Harris.
he said, is that you write one book ana
then wait Ave years before bringing out
another In the meantime the public
has forgotten about you
suppose. though. replied. that
the stories would not De GOOD II they
were written more hastily"
But the public does not know that,
so what is the difference. said Mr.. Ben
nett, and | know Of no answer to his
words"
For the best short story Mr.. Harris
has scanned the productions in that line
OF good many Thousand years past
and nnally selected one from the Bible.
The Woman Taken In Adultery
1T Is the greatest short story said
he, and there was no hesitancy in his
words and no room left for qualification.
There are only $50 words in 1t, but
what has been the result? Judges have
been made ridiculous by 1t and hospitals
nave been placed IN prisons"
Next to It he placed another parable,
The Prodigal SON" and then, taking IA
quick jump across intervening ages he
named as among the short stories of the
first rank "a & Wells's The Country Of
the Blind" And yet Mir. Harris had a
gopa deal OF fault TO md with the plan
OF this story and the way in which IT had
been worked out.
cit was the greatest parable that has
ever come to him" he said, meaning Mr..
Wells and his Country OF the Blind
and he treated IL lightly. Perhaps That
was In accordance with a definition he
once gave OF short story writng-'A Jolly
little art But it is not a jolly little art.
II is a profound and painstaking art.
The authors of good short stories have
written on their knees. If Mr. Wells
had taken more pains and given the mat
ter more thought lie could have made. I
think, much more effective story o.
the very great idea which he had"
Some OF the other short stories men
toned by Mr.. Harris were the one by
Anatole France about Pontius Plate, sew
eral BY Hans Christian Andersen. Bret
Hartes The Outcasts OF Poker Flat
and THE Luck OF Roaring Camp sew
eral by o. Henry and one by Balzac.
He had a word TO say also about Edgar
| Allan Poe and his detective stories,
| but did not seem inclined TO class them
| among works of the highest order. II
was perhaps the mention OF Poe's de-
! t.lt,ys stories tia. "snsed Mr. Harris
to glide into a criticism OF \. Conan
| Doylcs works and to recall the fact
| with a considerable tone OF Irony In his
words that Mr. Doyle makes something
/ Ike $50. 900 year by writing stories
/ that cannot descrv.nGiy be compared 10
any OF Poo's work. second rate" is the
term applied 10 Doyles stories by Mr.
! Harris.
He spoke Of Anatole France as "a most
careful and scrupulous workman in style
| and probably the greatest living writer
Tolstoy's THE Shoe Maker was highly
/ praised and Leonard Merricks Little
/ Flower OF the Wood" was referred to witt
q great deal OF warmth
The lecture last evening was the seconC
I'm a series Of three. Next Sunday eve
ming Mr. Harris's subject will be Search
Tights on the War"