The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-15
MRS. WATTS'S MODESTY AND
LIGHT PERSONALITY
Her Caricatures to uphold the Best Traditions of This
Country of Serious but Not Solemn
Schoolma'ams."

that Is; she drew mo into a corner at 4
reception to say We'll, I've read your
stories. Mrs. Watts. and I do hope now
that you've written these good ones
you're not going to run down. You know
all the authors run down there's SO
and So'-she named hiin-isn't II
awful nov he's run down? said to
Mr.. E. cher husband) the other day.
"Well. I do hope Mrs. Watts isn't going
to run down like all the rest Of them 49,"
"You might suppose a rising author
would be somewhat dashed by opinions
like the above. But there are con-
pensations. Not long since I went into
a little shop, an antiquity n curiosity
place. to buy a gift which had to be
sent away. had to ask for a pen
and paper to write the address and
make a memorandum Of my own name
and address for the dealer to let me
know the express charges. and in the
course of these transactions. says j.
wishing to he affable: What nice blot
tcrs these are! One n get them at the
stationers-thcy never ave anything
but great big sheets that YOU have 20
cut into pieces Whereupon ] observed
some cominotion In the rear OF the shop
and presently the proprietor appeared.
Mrs. Watts. isn't it, Yes. We'll.
now. Mrs Watts. I just want TO say
NVi thNN nv VI f'N " WaiN
and any time you're passing stop In
and get hlottcrs whenever o need
them. ANY body that does all the writing
you do must need blotters"
However. ! gricvc to say mis- Gener-
Gus gentleman has gone into bank
ruptcy since. The business Of supplying
hlotters free as air TO literary celebri-
ties was too much for him. The last
person from whom I got a kind word
was my dressmaker. She says she's
going to read my novels. and I suppose
she must he reading them BECAUSE she's
put me Off several times lately. She
inquired what time in tho day I did
my work. volunteering the information
that she did all her designing in tho
evenings-'after the days work Is all
over. you know. 7 wouldn't feel my mind
free to create II ! was worrying about II
all during my fittings. Sometimes !
design a little Sunday. too. II l get an
idea. It's best II you get an idea to 10
right ahead and develop 1t. don't you
,hink So | told her that was exactly
tho way I worked. and we looked nj
each other quite soulfully. Arcddes
dmbo"
ON another occasion Mrs. Watts had
something to say about the attitude Of
her acquaintance toward her since the
success'of her novels.
There was a time when they met me
with: We'll. writing anything now IN
a very light frivolous style and followed
1t up by asking me IL | couldn't come
over and play bridge tomorrow after
noon" All that has been changed since
the days OF Nathan Burke" Van Cleve'
and tho others. Nowadays they inquire.
to he sure. in the very same terms Are
you writing anything now" but AS
gravcly as II ii were Did you suffer
much at the last And IL they refer "a
bridge at all 1t is To venture with a dis.
trcssing difference: y suppose you never
think of bridocy II has set me wonder
ing whether it isn't more painful to be
taken seriously than to be laughed at,
Another favorite form of address Is
Now you're not going to put me in a
story just won't hare II. I'll neve
speak Ia you again" There are also an
astonishing number of persons VIII,
want to give me material only eduallcd
b. another astonishinEly large number
who want me to tell them all about the
noNt story | am going to write-l'm SO
interested. YOU know. Mrs. Watts I.
Another class can tell me exactly how
did it. You write of course under Al
immediate and strong inspiration-ai
o,crmas'erinC impulse. Mrs. Watts. The
spontaneous quality OF your style shows
that one mar said to me. All writers
do. I have met u great nan Of them
I mean the high up writer's like yourself,
and | ave observed their methods %
work closely. You feel this desire OF q
pression-you must obey it-you must
sit down and write--ch?' This gentleman
himself conducts the advertising depart
mont OF II large SOAP company and
have no doubt Ike knows whereof HI