Life — June 8, 1899 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“BUT WHY DID YOU WANT TO DRAW ME, MI88 DOROTHY? REALLY. YOU FLATTER MEI" “OUR INSTRUCTOK TOLD C8 xO BRGIN ON SOMETHING SIMPLE." The Literary Machine. UFFERY nowadays has been reduced to a sci- ence or raised to an art—you can take your choice of terms, The syndicate tendency of all industries is to praise for this in great measure; clearly not to blame, from a purely business point of view. For if a syndicate takes up the works of a comparatively unknown, perhaps meritorious, author, the syndicate must, of course, try to ‘‘ work” the press everywhere, just as Barnum did, to create a quick popularity for the productions of its protégées, “Ven you zell a man a coat vot vants a coat, dot vos noding ; bud ven you zell a man a coat vot don’t vant a coat, dot vos beesness, don’d it?” The principle is omniprevalent. But, apart from the “literary” syndicates, there are many private professors of this art or science whose methods are unique and interesting. Jet us give an example, not naming names, for that might be officiously offensive and legally expensive, perhaps. The case is not an uncommon one, so none will guess it is you, unless you fit the cap to your head. In the wilds of Arkansas or Nova Scotia a man is born with considerable literary instinct or taste. In due course of time he becomes a professor of history or bellcs-lettres (it is always called belles. lettres, not literature, in rural colleges), and he begins to dabble a litte on his off-days in composition of stories or verses. These are generally pretty dull, though they may have tolerable technique; but they prove cerebration, and the wonder arises in some minds, perforce, that a backwoods After a severe attack of Senators, I derived much benefit froma bottle of Vinum Marianum.—J. Cusar, LIFE'S ELIXIR, OF Zo & precaution against severe ezposure, I use Vinum Marianum on my hair with most beneficial results.—Lady Godiva, fellow can write anything readable. ‘The insect is neither rich nor rare, but you wonder how the devil it got there.” Anined with various endorsements and letters of introduction