South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-21
LITERARY NOTES

The story followed and then Others
OF "a similar nature. and the result
was The Jungle Book
Mr. Ellsworth tells This story,
which shows how opportunity
knocked at The Century door and
remained unheeded.
Another clerk. a young man. was
behind the counter one day when a
stranger called and asked if any
stories were wanted. He was
rough looking stranger who. il
seems, had just come of an emf
grant ship. Anything he cared TO
leave would be handed TO che edi-
tors. the boy told him. The stranger
turned and went out. The Century
had lost Robert Louis Stevenson
Mr. Ellsworth tells OF the early
lack OF success Of Thoreau. who. he
SAYS. was not read for a quarter OF
a century after he had published
his first book, "A Week on the Con-
cord and Merrimac Rivers" in 1919.
Four years after il was published
Thoreau settled with his publisher.
one thousand copies had been
printed and just 213 had been sold.
tie brought the remainder back 20
his home in q whcelDarTOw and
stored them away in his attic. He
made this entry in his journal: Il
now have q library OF nearly 900
volumes. over 700 of which 1 wrote
myself"
Mr.. Ellsworth notes that at a re-
cent book and autograph sale, $3.50
was paid for an autograph letter of
stevenson in which the great writer
| told his mother that he had received
only 20 pounds for oil publishing
rights in his book of essays. "Vir-
ginibus Puerisque." a letter about
book valued at two and a half
times the original price the book it
self was considered worth, Values
are surely strangely set in things
I literary
Recalling +. Hopkinson Smith. the
author OF Tom Grogan." col. Car
I ter OF Gainesville" and many other
I books, Mr. Ellsworth tells of an oc-
casion. at a Twelfth Night revel OF
/ the Century club. where Mr.. Smith
came in the guise of the German
\ emperor. He went about with a
/ box Of decorations. pinning one on
/ nearly every breast. Called upon
\ for a speech he delivered one that
showed that even at that early stage.
/ Mr.. smith had the royal gentleman
pretty well sized up. He said: Il
am a man of peace. I want "A piece
/ of Morocco. I want piece OF China;
\ I want a piece OF every country that
/ have not the whole of alretty"
Authors as a rule are not disin-
| clined 10 make corrections when il
/ is shown 20 them that the changes
are for the Improvement of their
work. But John :. G. Abbott de
/ clined TO make changes in his Ma
poleon' for publication in 'Harper's
/ Magazine" averring that he had
made every line he wrote the sub
/ iect of prayer" and what he wrote
ne believed 20 be true. and could not
alter.
Theodore Lowe De Winnie was q
maker of blankbooks when Roswell
Smith discovered him. Smith had a
truly wonderful ability TO perceive
( latent possibilities in men. and he
encouraged De Winnie TO try his
hand ar printing. His first job was
an issue OF st Nicholas" later one
| of THE Century" and in time De
| Winnie became the foremost printer
OF his day, and his influence is felt
even until now. And Roswell Smith
found him ruling blankbooks! II
all the truth were known, we would
no doubt have to give great deal
Of credit TO Smith for the develop
ment of American literature and
art in his generation. He has him
self remained obscure. but the men
and the works he brought forward
made their marks on their gener-
I alton and beyond.
Mr.. Ellsworth traces the history
Of the publication OF THE Century
| Dictionary" which came not from
/ full previous designs. but as an out
, growth of a much less ambitious