Rolling Stones Part 42

[It was hard to get O. Henry to take an interest in his books. He was always eager to be at the undone work, to be writing a new story instead of collecting old ones.

This letter came from North Carolina. It shows how much thought he gave always to t.i.tles.]

LAND O' THE SKY, Monday, 1909.

My dear Colonel Steger: As I wired you to-day, I like "Man About Town"

for a t.i.tle.

But I am sending in a few others for you to look at; and if any other suits you better, I'm agreeable. Here they are, in preferred order:

The Venturers.

Transfers.

Merry-Go-Rounds.

Babylonica.

Brickdust from Babel.

Babes in the Jungle.

If none of these hit you right, let me know and I'll get busy again. But I think "Man About Town" is about the right thing. It gives the city idea without using the old hackneyed words.

I am going to write you a letter in a day or so "touchin' on and appertainin' to" other matters and topics. I am still improving and feeling pretty good. Colonel Bingham has put in a new ash-sifter and expects you to come down and see that it works all right.

All send regards to you. You seem to have made quite a hit down here for a Yankee.

Salutations and good wishes.

Yours, S. P.

[This letter was found unfinished, among his papers after his death. His publishers had discussed many times his writing of a novel, but the following letter const.i.tutes the only record of his own opinions in the matter. The date is surely 1909 or 1910.]

My Dear Mr. Steger: My idea is to write the story of a man--an individual, not a type--but a man who, at the same time, I want to represent a "human nature type," if such a person could exist. The story will teach no lesson, inculcate no moral, advance no theory.

I want it to be something that it won't or can't be--but as near as I can make it--the TRUE record of a man's thoughts, his description of his mischances and adventures, his TRUE opinions of life as he has seen it and his ABSOLUTELY HONEST deductions, comments, and views upon the different phases of life that he pa.s.ses through.

I do not remember ever to have read an autobiography, a biography, or a piece of fiction that told the TRUTH. Of course, I have read stuff such as Rousseau and Zola and George Moore and various memoirs that were supposed to be window panes in their respective b.r.e.a.s.t.s; but, mostly, all of them were either liars, actors, or posers. (Of course, I'm not trying to belittle the greatness of their literary expression.)

All of us have to be prevaricators, hypocrites and liars every day of our lives; otherwise the social structure would fall into pieces the first day. We must act in one another's presence just as we must wear clothes. It is for the best.

The trouble about writing the truth has been that the writers have kept in their minds one or another or all of three thoughts that made a handicap--they were trying either to do a piece of immortal literature, or to shock the public or to please editors. Some of them succeeded in all three, but they did not write the TRUTH. Most autobiographies are insincere from beginning to end. About the only chance for the truth to be told is in fiction.

It is well understood that "all the truth" cannot be told in print--but how about "nothing but the truth"? That's what I want to do.

I want the man who is telling the story to tell it--not as he would to a reading public or to a confessor--but something in this way: Suppose he were marooned on an island in mid-ocean with no hope of ever being rescued; and, in order to pa.s.s away some of the time he should tell a story to HIMSELF embodying his adventure and experiences and opinions.

Having a certain respect for himself (let us hope) he would leave out the "realism" that he would have no chance of selling in the market; he would omit the lies and self-conscious poses, and would turn out to his one auditor something real and true.

So, as truth is not to be found in history, autobiography, press reports (nor at the bottom of an H. G. Wells), let us hope that fiction may be the means of bringing out a few grains of it.

The "hero" of the story will be a man born and "raised" in a somnolent little southern town. His education is about a common school one, but he learns afterward from reading and life. I'm going to try to give him a "style" in narrative and speech--the best I've got in the shop. I'm going to take him through all the main phases of life--wild adventure, city, society, something of the "under world," and among many characteristic planes of the phases. I want him to acquire all the sophistication that experience can give him, and always preserve his individual honest HUMAN view, and have him tell the TRUTH about everything.

It is time to say now, that by the "truth" I don't mean the objectionable stuff that so often masquerades under the name. I mean true opinions a true estimate of all things as they seem to the "hero."

If you find a word or a suggestive line or sentence in any of my copy, you cut it out and deduct it from the royalties.

I want this man to be a man of natural intelligence, of individual character, absolutely open and broad minded; and show how the Creator of the earth has got him in a rat trap--put him here "w.i.l.l.y nilly" (you know the Omar verse); and then I want to show what he does about it.

There is always the eternal question from the Primal Source--"What are you going to do about it?"

Please don't think for the half of a moment that the story is going to be anything of an autobiography. I have a distinct character in my mind for the part, and he does not at all

[Here the letter ends. He never finished it.]

THE STORY OF "HOLDING UP A TRAIN"

[In "Sixes and Sevens" there appears an article ent.i.tled "Holding Up a Train." Now the facts were given to O. Henry by an old and dear friend who, in his wild avenging youth, had actually held up trains. To-day he is Mr. Al. Jennings, of Oklahoma City, Okla., a prominent attorney. He has permitted the publication of two letters O. Henry wrote him, the first outlining the story as he thought his friend Jennings ought to write it, and the second announcing that, with O. Henry's revision, the ma.n.u.script had been accepted.

From W. S. Porter to Al. Jennings, September 21st (year not given but probably 1902).]

DEAR PARD:

In regard to that article--I will give you my idea of what is wanted.

Say we take for a t.i.tle "The Art and Humor of the Hold-up"--or something like that. I would suggest that in writing you a.s.sume a character. We have got to respect the conventions and delusions of the public to a certain extent. An article written as you would naturally write it would be regarded as a fake and an imposition. Remember that the traditions must be preserved wherever they will not interfere with the truth. Write in as simple, plain and unembellished a style as you know how. Make your sentences short. Put in as much realism and as many facts as possible.

Where you want to express an opinion or comment on the matter do it as practically and plainly as you can. Give it LIFE and the vitality of FACTS.

Now, I will give you a sort of general synopsis of my idea--of course, everything is subject to your own revision and change. The article, we will say, is written by a TYPICAL train hoister--one without your education and powers of expression (bouquet) but intelligent enough to convey his ideas from HIS STANDPOINT--not from John Wanamaker's. Yet, in order to please John, we will have to a.s.sume a virtue that we do not possess. Comment on the moral side of the proposition as little as possible. Do not claim that holding up trains is the only business a gentleman would engage in, and, on the contrary, do not depreciate a profession that is really only financiering with spurs on. Describe the FACTS and DETAILS--all that part of the proceedings that the pa.s.senger sitting with his hands up in a Pullman looking into the end of a tunnel in the hands of one of the performers does not see. Here is a rough draft of my idea: Begin abruptly, without any philosophizing, with your idea of the best times, places and conditions for the hold-up--compare your opinions of this with those of others--mention some poorly conceived attempts and failures of others, giving your opinion why--as far as possible refer to actual occurrences, and incidents--describe the manner of a hold-up, how many men is best, where they are stationed, how do they generally go into it, nervous? or joking? or solemnly. The details of stopping the train, the duties of each man of the gang--the behavior of the train crew and pa.s.sengers (here give as many brief odd and humorous incidents as you can think of). Your opinions on going through the pa.s.sengers, when is it done and when not done. How is the boodle gotten at? How does the express clerk generally take it? Anything done with the mail car? UNDER WHAT CIRc.u.mSTANCES WILL A TRAIN ROBBER SHOOT A Pa.s.sENGER OR A TRAIN MAN--suppose a man refuses to throw up his hands? Queer articles found on pa.s.sengers (a chance here for some imaginative work)--queer and laughable incidents of any kind. Refer whenever apropos to actual hold-ups and facts concerning them of interest. What could two or three brave and determined pa.s.sengers do if they were to try? Why don't they try? How long does it take to do the business. Does the train man ever stand in with the hold-up? Best means of getting away--how and when is the money divided. How is it mostly spent. Best way to manoeuvre afterward. How to get caught and how not to. Comment on the methods of officials who try to capture. (Here's your chance to get even.)

These ideas are some that occur to me casually. You will, of course, have many far better. I suggest that you make the article anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 words. Get as much meat in it as you can, and, by the way--stuff it full of western, GENUINE slang--(not the eastern story paper kind). Get all the quaint cowboy expressions and terms of speech you can think of.

INFORMATION is what we want, clothed in the peculiar western style of the character we want to present. The main idea is to be NATURAL, DIRECT, AND CONCISE.

I hope you will understand what I say. I don't. But try her a whack and send it along as soon as you can, and let's see what we can do. By the way, Mr. "Everybody" pays good prices. I thought I would, when I get your story, put it into the shape my judgment decides upon, and then send both your MS. and mine to the magazine. If he uses mine, we'll whack up shares on the proceeds. If he uses yours, you get the check direct. If he uses neither, we are out only a few stamps.

Sincerely your friend, W. S. P.

[And here is the letter telling his "pard" that the article had been bought by _Everybody's Magazine_. This is dated Pittsburg, October 24th, obviously the same year:]