"THE BROAD HIGHWAY."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1162, 24 June 1911, Page 9

"THE BROAD HIGHWAY."

"Tho Broad -Highway" is English in scene and authorship, but it was written in America—iu New Jersey, to be more exact—at a period when its author was unsuccessfully, besieging tho literary citadels of New York. Had there not been the comfcrtablo homo of his father-in-law to shelter his young wife and baby, Jeffrey Farnol would have found himself in sure straits during those lean years. As it was, tho demand for his literary wares was so slight that ho was forced to resort to scene painting in order not to become a mere dependent. One short novel which was published without creating a ripple iu the book world, and another sold lor a song, but withheld from publication, were the net result of his efforts to market his work.

-• It..was during this period of struggle that "The Broad Highway" was evolved, and the physical labour of writing 200,000 words, many in dialect,.is not inconsiderable. But when the end was reached, and the final revision completed, thero remained the visits to the publishers—and' the suspense of waiting for a decision. Discouraged in his attempts ,to find a publisher in New. York, Mr. Farnol availed himself of the aid offered by a foremost actor, at the Astor Theatre, where both were engaged, the one in playing a leading role, the other in daubing paint on side scenes and back curtains. This actor was about to keep an engagement iu Boston,, and ha said he would be delighted to take the manuscript of "The Broad Highway' over to some publishing friends. Another impatient wait of three months for Mr. Farnol while ho wielded the paint brush bv dav and the stub pen by night. Determined to know his fate, he fiually sought his actor friend, only to learn than tho. manuscript had remained at the bot'-cni of his trunk during the entire Bosrou engagement. This was tho last straw for Farnol. With his little family and his bulky manuscript, Farnol left unappreciative New York for. his old home in Kent. A friend of the family learned of tho existence of tho manuscript, read it eagerly, advised submitting it to the Loudon publishers who had issued Blackmore s "Lorn? Doonn" over forty years ago. "Tho Broad Highway" was read, accepted, and received the critics' endorsement. The public responded. The Boston publishers, whom the New York actor was to have visited, learned of the approaching publication in Londou of what was termed 'a second "Lorna Dotoc,-" and secured the American rights, with fee .result that the. sales in tins country soon outstripped the English sale. —New" York "Post."