The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-18

with stephen Crane during the Cuban
and later during the Span
ish -American war that the other cor
say this for him, even though | don't
like him"
The first time I ever met MIR. Davis
was NJ his place in Noun, kisco, where
he had n farm and boosted hat from
his porch no house was visible on the
skyline. II was a rainy afternoon. and
with an editor and n literary agent.
very astute. not TO say cagey, as are
all literary agents I have known ex-
cept one Of the feminine gender who
does not need tn he. we had driven
from New York to discu.s the proposed
trip OF Mr.. Davis to Mexico to cover
he revolution. The irritation between
the United States and Mexico and
the demand for a salute had not then
developed.
After that first meeting I spent
a great deal OF time with Mr..
Davis, and I always found
him to he the same. not at
all concerned over tho little things as
far as he himself was interested in
them. but vastly concerned for others
One OF his hobbies was the Boy Scout
movement. because ne was a great he
lever in clean living and athletics for
boys. He appreciated the value to this
country Of sturdy manhood. and he
was first. last and always a citizen OF
the L. s. A.
I was visiting Mr.. Davis at his
Mount Kisco farm one sunday last
summer when the Boy Scouts wers
camping on the place. II was all
theirs, and Mr.. Davis deserted his
house and guests. that many Up AMI
Onward clubs would have licnized
II they could have hai'ed them 10
their weekly meetings because Of their
literary standing. in order to preach
the gospel OF outdoors TO these boys
who needed such preaching. He was
in their camp and eating at their
tables. though his own dinner awaited
him In his home. He was one OF them
and he sent a great many boys back
happy AT the end OF the two weeks.
All over the Davis farm are signs
f%orbidding t~respassirg, because. as Mr..
Davis used q explain. the construction
OF the new Catskill aqueduct in the
neighborhood. dependent upon cosmo-
pol,tan labor. makes many undesirable
residents frequent the vicinity. He
was roaming about the place n Sun
day when q young couple was found
within the n t~respass!ng" fences
They did not recognize him.
DO you suppose" asked the girl
that Mr.. Davis would mind n We
picked some flowers"
Il don't believe he would" answered
the writer.
."You work for him. don't your
questioned the girl. II don't see VIII,
he has 10 put those no trespassIng
signs on his old place. I don't thinl
It's so swell. anyway"
' YES. I work very hard for him.
! replied Mr.. Davis. land don't YOU pa,
any attention to those signs. He hasn'
any business to put them up" TIL
two went on placidly picking wil'
flowers. " that they had beer
talking TO the owner himself.
In his last year Mr.. Davis proved
himself to he Is good as ever az hi
writing. both in articles and fiction
II was doubtless because he retained
all the freshness Of youth In his poin
, Of view as well as his physical condi
! ton. He was deeply interested in tn
smallest trine, and he had the Gamer.
| eye OF the horn observer. His powe
OF description was not surpassed. II
my opinion. During the present wa
ne wrote a story which was a classic
a story of the Gray Ghost" army tina
came into Brussels. and. with the pass
ing OF the two scout bicycle rider
which preceded It.. Davis made yoI
feel as II everything human ended
The rest was a miraculous machin
that moved on endlessly. Nobody knew
where this army was, nobody knew tn
Germans were wearing these gray
green uniforms until Mr., Davis dis
covered it all. and then he told tn
world Of II IN short. crisp sentence
that cracked. and everybody kne'
about II.
Unlike some ~ the modern writer
who find they can increase their OF,
put by using the trusty typewritel
Mr.. Davis always wrote everything b
hand on square OF yellow paper /!
wretched chirography. the manuscr!p
usually being amazingly interlinet
And he would not turn in a story unit
he was satisfied with II himself, II
would rewrite and rewrite parts Of
so that the room where he worked wa
Uttered with scraps OF paper tina
failed to please him. until II looked n
II sunHower had been moulting there
One Of his big assets was his suprem
patience In constructing and polishin
"A story
He also hated to agree to produce
story on a certain date. because he di
not like Ia write unless he felt he ha
a real story to tell, and then he worke
on endlessly. forgetting time and plac
and engagements. He was In no wa
like another author with whom ] ar
acquainted.
Il don't believe in tho foibles c
genius" this man says, IL see thes
writer's hang around for three or fou
days waiting for an inspiration.
have always believed that II a mi
lust sits down in front OF a typcwrite
long enough he IL bound to get ma
after n while and produce somethinl
II may not he a fun sized masterpiece
the first heat, hut II IL something"
This writer is very successful II 70
care to measure success by quantity,
Mr.. Davis came from literary stocl
so his trade was the natural one IA
him to follow. lie FIRST worked or tn
P%hiladelphla Ledger, and hen IN