Beecher incident, taken from Rev. Charles Hall's funeral oration delivered in Plymouth Church:

"On his last Sunday in this place, two weeks ago, after the congregation had retired from it, the organist and one or two others were practising the hymn, I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me and rest.' Mr. Beecher, doubtless with that tire that follows a pastor's Sunday work, remained and listened. Two

street urchins were prompted to wander into the building, and one of them was standing in the position of the boy whom Raphael has immortalized, gazing up at the organ. The old man, laying his hand on the boy's head, turned his face upward, and kissed him, and with his arms about the two, left the scene of his triumphs, his trials, and his successes, forever." H. B. Swartz.

NEWBURYPORT, Mass.

An author's chief motive may be to do good, but he cannot live merely on the inspiration of an exalted motive; he must, in addition, have an occasional honorarium, so that he can buy bread and butter and - stamps. For this reason the question of pay is one of vast, if not vital, importance to him, and it is small wonder that he occasionally ventures modestly to broach that delicate subject.

Now, there are almost as many different methods of settling with writers as there are periodicals whose name is legion. Some settle immediately on the acceptance of an article (bless them!), some promptly at the time of publication (bless them, too!), some a month or so after an article appears, some every quarter, some whenever it suits their convenience, and some, apparently, do not intend to settle at all. Thus a writer is frequently very much "in the dark"- it is far too often Stygian darkness-as to when he shall receive the much-desired and much-needed check; and this uncertainty sometimes subjects him to great inconvenience.

Would it not be well if each publication would insert some explanatory sentence in its acceptance blank on the subject of pay? Some of our best journals do this. One of these merely says, “A check will be sent you in due time," and although that is rather indefinite, the

check invariably comes in a few days. One publishing firm always informs the writer that settlement is made at the end of every quarter. But I regret to add that quite a number of journals accept, publish, and never say one word about pay, so that the author not only does not know when the remuneration will come, but is in uncertainty whether it will ever come at all. Sometimes for months he watches every mail with "unsatisfied longing," and yet the check does not arrive. If he knew something about the publisher's methods of settlement, he would be spared a great deal of anxious suspense, and often humiliation as well.

After waiting on a certain publisher about five months for his check, I mustered up courage to write him a letter requesting an explanation. A courteous answer came informing me that his custom was to settle for all contributions twice a year, but if I needed the money, he would send a check at once. A sentence in the acceptance blank explaining his semiannual method of settlement would have saved me both time and patience, and prevented a dun at his office.

A timid writer and many of us are timid, despite our numerous calls on editorial forbearance - hesitates long before he sends a publisher a dun, and I wish some plan might be devised by which he would never feel called

upon to do so. If publishers cannot always fix the precise date of settlement, they might frankly say so, and then the writer could make his calculations accordingly. Such brief sentences as these might be inserted in the letter of acceptance: "We pay on publication"; "We pay ten days after publication"; "We pay at the end of the quarter in which manuscripts are accepted, which will be on December 31"; "We settle with contributors

on or near the first of January and the first of July"; "We may not be able to settle immediately on publication, but will do so as soon thereafter as possible."

A clause like one of these would often save an editor or publisher a good deal of annoying correspondence and a writer no small amount of anxiety.

SPRINGFIELD, O.

Leander S. Keyser.

A carefully copied pile of manuscript is as dear to the heart of an author as an antique is to a collector of jewels, or an illuminated missal to the eye of a book-worm. Next to its rejection, nothing grieves him more than to see it ill-handled, and returned to his keeping in a form different from that in which it was sent forth. Nothing cuts more deeply than to have a manuscript returned with an additional fold or crease at right angles to the original. This treatment at once unfits a manuscript for further trial-it tells too plainly the story of its rejection elsewhere.

I have observed that, as a rule, manuscript is returned in good order from the large publishing houses and periodicals of the highest class. On the other hand, an article sent to a newspaper office is apt to come back with the ugly brand across its face, in a long narrow slip. Hence, it is wise to fold your manuscript twice in sending to a daily or weekly journal. The monthlies make use of a larger envelope, and one is safe in folding the manuscript only once across the breadth of the paper employed to hold his ideas. By taking heed of these differences, a writer may largely avoid the abuse of his cherished manuscript.

I make use of three sizes of paper in copying manuscript for the press. A short article may be copied on an ordinary note, unruled sheet of writing paper, folded twice and forwarded in an

ordinary envelope. For a bulky article I use note-paper, opened and turned, cutting a margin of a little more than an inch off the right side, thus reducing the size of the paper to five by nine inches, which size is held to be preferred among editors and publishers. This material is already folded through the centre, and can be placed in an envelope made of manila paper. A good quality of manila paper is preferred by some editors (or readers), and is more economical when the article is one of twenty or thirty pages.

The author of "A Writer's Two Mild Requests" in the THE WRITER for January, which has suggested this article, might have added a third grievance to his list the failure on the part of an editor to send, with his check, a copy of the piece contributed.

I once had a story published in two issues of a Baltimore Sunday paper. I heard of its publication by accident, and more than a year passed before I received compensation for the said story, seventy-five pages foolscap, and my earliest effort in literature. The Atlanta Constitution and other journals have been equally. negligent in acknowledging contributed articles. Sometimes the aspirant receives neither check nor copy in token of its acceptance, that signmanual which invariably sends a flutter to his creative soul. Some papers never make an acknowledgment, beyond a written check, and

if the check comes three weeks after date, or even ten days after the date of publication, it is well-nigh impossible to procure a back copy of that particular date. It is equally impossible for a writer to subscribe to every periodical which publishes his efforts. On the contrary, it is equally unreasonable to expect an editor to send a marked copy to every individual who

may contribute nalf a-dozen lines to his columns. The best plan is to keep a sharp lookout for one's self in doubtful cases. It is very difficult to obtain a back copy which has once appeared in print. Some papers, like the World, call in an edition as soon as the date of its issue has passed. Rose W. Fry.

LEWISBURG, W. Va.

There is no more deserving mortal on earth who follows a profession than the editor of a big city daily newspaper. Physicians with a general medical practice often think that they are the hardest worked people; but physicians have a respite now and then from their nervetrying labors. Editors have a steady grind night and day, year in and year out, exercising their brains at concert pitch; and if anything goes wrong in the conduct of a department in their charge, they "hear from it." Ever alert not to subject themselves to the attack of an esteemed contemporary, or to see the flaws in the statements of an opponent, it is no wonder that an editor's brain gets tired at times. This may produce an ugly mood, and result in surly, narrow-minded comments about men and things. Frequently, mental dyspepsia is apparent in the editorial articles from the pens of editors who get in the rut of newspaper routine and do not mingle with the world sufficiently, nor travel enough to have the dust of the office thoroughly washed out of their eyes. Men who plod in a rut get sleepy. And a sleepy newspaper is detested by wide-awake Americans.

Appreciating the unpleasant possibilities of too much office life for editors, a number of newspapers take pains to have their best men travel, not only in this country, but in foreign countries, and rub against men of different states and nations, thereby absorbing ideas and gaining such mental refreshment as shall en

hance their value as staff writers when they come home. The owners of these newspapers are wise men, and they see very clearly the profit of encouraging their editorial writers to do a little "outside work.” One of the big New York dailies is not so wise. When the editorial staff appears to need a "shaking up" the leading writers are given the option of either accepting insignificant reporters' positions or leaving the staff altogether. Such heroic treatment makes able men very wary about taking a place on the staff of this erratically managed journal.

Sensible newspaper owners are seeing more clearly the desirability of giving their men opportunities for leisurely observation. It simply means a better, stronger paper. Some editors cannot be spared from their posts. A managing editor, for instance, who holds the tiller of the paper, has to stand by it until the paper goes to press. These men have to be giants as it were, mentally and physically, and perhaps they get "shook up" enough every day right in the office, and do not require the mental stimulation sometimes needed by the men who devote all their time to editorial writing. Giving editors a chance to rest by means of travel and a change of company is a custom which ought to be generally followed by newspaper owners, whether they be individuals or the so-called soulless corporations.

THE WRITER.

WM. H. HILLS, . . EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.

THE WRITER is published the first day of every month. It will be sent, post-paid, ONE YEAR for One Dollar. **All drafts and money orders should be made payable to William H. Hills. Stamps, or local checks, should not be sent in payment for subscriptions.

THE WRITER will be sent only to those who have paid for it in advance. Accounts cannot be opened for subscriptions, and names will not be entered on the list unless the subscription order is accompanied by a remittance. When subscriptions expire the names of subscribers will be taken off the list unless an order for renewal, accompanied by remittance, is received. Due notice will be given to every subscriber of the expiration of his subscription.

No sample copies of THE WRITER will be sent free.

The American News Company, of New York, and the New England News Company, of Boston, are wholesale agents for THE WRITER. It may be ordered from any newsdealer, or directly, by mail, from the publisher.

THE WRITER is kept on sale by Damrell & Upham (Old Corner Bookstore), Boston; Brentano Bros., New York, Washington, and Chicago; George F. Wharton, New Orleans; John Wanamaker, Philadelphia; and the principal newsdealers in other cities.

**Everything printed in the magazine will be written expressly for it.

Not one line of paid advertisement will be printed in THE WRITER outside of the advertising pages.

Advertising rates will be sent on request.

Contributions not used will be returned, if a stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed.

writers when they are sending a manuscript to an editor. Nineteen times out of twenty they do a very foolish thing. Every editor knows that a manuscript seldom finds acceptance with the first publication to which it is offered. A writer who gives up in despair at the first rejection seems to him either an inexperienced person, whose work is likely to be of little value, or an author who has no confidence in his manuscript, since he does not value it highly enough even to make sure whether it has been rejected or not. The writer who does not enclose postage for the return of his manuscript if it proves to be unavailable, therefore, actually prejudices his editor against him, and decreases the chance of the acceptance of his work. If he thinks so little of his manuscript that he will not pay postage for its return, how can he expect that an editor will put a value upon it? No matter how diffident he may be, let him either keep back his contribution altogether, or proffer it as if it possessed value to him, even though it might not to anybody else. By all means, let him enclose postage for its return to him if it cannot be used. Then, if he is willing to be discouraged (though only a weak writer will be cast down by one rejection or by a dozen, for that matter), he may throw away his manuscript himself, and feel quite sure that it has not been printed without his knowing anything

about it.

No. 3.

Why writers should use flimsy envelopes or wrap their manuscripts in home-made receptacles constructed out of wrapping-paper, when strong manila manuscript envelopes may be had at moderate cost, is hard to explain. Many of the manuscripts received at the office of THE WRITER Come in envelopes torn and broken in transit through the mails, and in such condition that their escape from loss or mis-delivery seems almost miraculous. When envelopes and paper made expressly for writers' use may be secured at moderate cost, no writer who cares for his own interest will use any other kind.

"If the enclosed manuscript is not available, throw it into the waste basket." So say many

Those who have complained in THE WRITER and elsewhere about the perversity of editors who persist in returning manuscripts folded otherwise than in the original creases, trying to make them fit envelopes of different shape from those in which they were sent, do not seem to have discovered the obvious remedy for such trouble — viz., enclosing a suitable envelope, stamped and addressed, ready for return. One author, at least, has humorously suggested that there is danger in making it too easy for an editor to return a manuscript; but, seriously, such danger is not very important. If a writer encloses with his contribution an addressed and stamped envelope of suitable size and shape to take his manuscript in the original fold, there is little danger that any editor will fold the manu. script otherwise, and the chance of its going

astray in the mail because of a wrong or incomplete address is greatly lessened. In enclosing an envelope, by the way, it is best to use one of the same size as that in which the manuscript is mailed, folding it once in the middle, after it is addressed, so that it will go easily in the outside envelope. When the enclosed envelope is a little smaller than the outside envelope, and is sent flat, there is danger that the editor in using his shears to cut off the end of the outside envelope will ruin the inner envelope at the same time. The crease across the folded envelope does nobody any harm.

QUERIES.

[ Questions relating to literary work or literary topics may be asked and answered in this department. Both questions and answers must be brief, and of general interest. Questions on general topics should be directed elsewhere.]

W. H. H.

"Periodicals that Pay Contributors,'

Kirk,

1.00

"Mistakes in Writing English,"

Bigelow,

.50

"Handbook of Punctuation,"

Bigelow, .50

"Handbook of Punctuation,"

Wilson,

1.25

Slips of Tongue and Pen,"

Long,

.60

[If the publisher issues a book at his own expense, he pays for the copies sent out for review. If the book is issued at the expense of the author, the author pays for them. Usually, when the publisher issues the book at his own expense, paying the author a royalty, no royalty is paid on the copies sent for review.-W. H. H.]

Would you explain the law, or custom, in regard to journals appropriating articles or matter of writers from other journals? Can authors obtain any redress for this, or have they to suffer it? I have been considerably victimized lately in this way, and should like to have some authoritative statement on the matter.

A.

[If a periodical is not copyrighted, anything in it may be reprinted by anybody without permission. If it is copyrighted, theoretically nothing in it may be reprinted without permission of the owner of the copyright, who in most cases is the publisher. Practically, however, reprinting is allowed by tacit consent, provided due credit is given, and only a minor part say, not more than one-third of the original article is used. If credit is not given, or if the article is reprinted in full without permission, the owner

'Rhyming Dictionary,"

"Rhymester,"

"Ballades and Rondeaus," "Handbook of Poetics," "Science of English Verse,"

The publisher of THE WRITER will send any of these books to any address, prepaid, on receipt of price. W. H. H.]

I have written and had published in magazines, serials, and short stories, but the magazine has always attended to the copyright. Now a paper is to publish a serial of mine, and I and another author want to know if THE WRITER will kindly settle a point for us. One says the fee for copyright can be saved by printing, "All rights reserved"; the other declares there is a fine of one dollar for this unless one has paid for a copyright. Will you tell us who is right? Authors are usually poor, and it is well to save that one dollar for copyright if possible. T. s.

[There is no way to secure copyright without paying a fee, and no protection against infringement is gained unless the phrase, "Copyright, 1892, by " is printed

following the title of the copyrighted matter. There are penalties provided for printing the copyright mark unless a copyright has been