New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-07

cheering for tho humble In learning
that one need not cross tho ocean to
come to a country where tho best is
tory, we think, and Just as adventurous
to reach land where there amt no
Ten Commandments by the simple ex-
pedient Of taking a I.enox Avenue
local. It IL not tho effort, but the
spirit, which makes for true romance.
And We begin to feel it here in our
city OF canyons. Once more there are
, q few green things and. perhaps, a
bird or so. and another xeformer has
discovered that New York Is damned.
Spring has arrived.
''This," writes Desperate Dora, els
| a wall from the heart Of stricken
| creature. I want to announce Q great
truth to the world. The Bookman'
has hardened itself against an article
on the subject, and yearn to see some
facts paraded where a few literary
'aspirants' may chancs to view them.
1.-THE great truth is simple. 1t Is
only the statement that editors Of
magazines read other things than the
manuscripts submitted to them. They
read the current novels and short
stories. They even read current verse.
This seems quite comprehensive, as 8
fact. But 1t is not fact In tho minds
Of 80 many people who ssnd stuff to
the *. Y. Magazine where labor,
that It appears worth asserting in
About Column as an act Of charity
to many editions and-I am told-to
many literary agencies. Also, my fe-
male heart is touched by the waste Of
postage when young and struggling
persons in outer Colorado send us
close copies Of The Moon and Six
ponce
"If Saint-Beuve was right in say
ing that imitation IL the most sincere
Aattery, and Wilde was right in steal
ing the sentence, then the amount
Of flattery in the mails these days Is
Unreasonable. The mall from Eng
land brings its full share, too. l do
not mind thinking that a dear young
thing in Wellington, Surrey. imagines
we may not have read Frank Swimmer
ton. But why should she think a
version OF 'Huckleberry Finn will
wake no responsive chord in our souls +?
And why should male Briton believe
that the conclusion Of THE Red Badge
Of Courage will rouse no CLEAN in
an American eye when he tacks it on
to the tail Of his war novel? No one
likes being taken for a complete ass,
even by an Englishman.
I'm ten years spent perusins manu-.
script have learned to watch tho rise
Of new writer's into popularity by the
limitations their plots and their rhetoric
III they have any-call forth. Some
OF this Is natural, harmless adnira-
tion--pUrely unconscious. But q lot Of
It Is rank theft. Ill concealed ana child
ish. AS piece OF mob psych ology, It
is an amusing study. soc some strik-
ing effect In words, or q clever plot,
'sw1ped' time after time. These Jolly
brigands seem to 60 on the assump-
tion that novel, poem or short story
published six months ago 10 lost and
hidden forever. They reckon that a
book six years old is utterly forgotten
Thus, Miss Gathers first series Of
tales Is highly fattsred, although the
description OF the discarded girl on
the brass-edged hotel stairs from her
recent Scandal is very popular. Mrs.
Gerosld's wretched woman with tho
dead baby in the black satehel 10 q
constant visitor. and hor 'Knight's
Move comes in almost as frequently,
often arm In arm with Miss Msr-
daunt's horrid Goldfish ,--a grisly
caller! Mr.. Hergsshsimsr's manner ID
too tempting. I have grown 60 expert
in ''pott'ng'' b4 Of his rhythmie
paragraphs that I can tell whether IL