MY FIRST SUCCESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 222, 12 September 1908, Page 4

MY FIRST SUCCESS

By Xa t Gould. My first success was in Sydney, New South Wales, whither i had drifted from England in 188-1. Wlieu it became necesSiiiy for me to earn my living, 1 tried my hand at the tea trade, but it was a ghastly failure. Xlien I went iu for fanning, but as an undo of mine said I did nothing but shoot and ride, 1 did not umku 9 great success of that. I then got engaged on the Newark Advertiser, where 1 stayed for six years and learned how to earn my living at newspaper. and literary work, an education which has stood me iu good stead ever since.

It was after that that 1 went to Australia, where it was newspaper work which naturally attracted me.' After I liad'been three days in Sydney I was engaged as chief reporter 011 the Brisbane Daily Telegraph for three years. Then 1 was engaged by the Sydney lieferee and Sydney Sunday Times soon after they mere started. After some time I took a trip with Sir William Lyne—he was not knighted at that time —then the member for the Hume district, on a tour of his constituency, to report his speeches. One day, while 1 was with him, 1 received, quite unexpectedly, a telegram offering me the editorship of the liathurst Times. I showed the message to Sir William and his advice -to me was to accept it. 1 did so.

When 1 got to liathurst, which, as you know, is a cathedral town in New South Wales, 1 found that the paper was an evening one, and that 1 was expected not merely to edit it but, practically, to run it. If not quite, it was pretty nearly a one-man paper. 1 was the one man, and I had to do all the leaders and write up all the reporting. Oil an average 1 suppose J tunic! out from five to six columns every day regularly. While I was editing the paper I received a letter from the editor of the Sydney Referee telling me that they were going to bring out a new paper called The Bird of Freedom, and asking nie if 1 would write a story for them. 1 wired back "Yes," rather laconically, but 1 had not the slightest, suspicion of an idea what the story was going to I>-.-. In the evening, however, after my day's work was done and I had gone homo, I sat down at my table, pulled out some paper, got a pen and ink, and before 1 went to bed 1 had written the first chapter of a story which 1 expected would take three or four chapters 10 finish. 1 sent it off to the editor, wm. Sprinted it in due course. My next communication from him was a letter 111 which he stated it was too good for the Bird of Freedom and he wanted to publish it in the Referee. To that effect he intended to republish, tfce opening instalment, and he wished me, to make it longer than I had intended. As 1 was writing 011 space, and was being paid not for the complete story but, so much -per chapter, I need scarcely tell you that I had no hesitation in falling in with his proposal. The difficulty which beset 111 c, however. was that, as I had started without anv definite plot I had to invent one as'l went along. 1 remember when I came to the fifth chapter that I was rather puzzled as to how I was going to make out. I determined, however, to worry through, and 1 did. After that one difficulty was settled. 1 had no further trouble, for though I never got to 'Work until I left the office of the liathurst Times my ideas used to come tumbling out faster than 1 could write. You see, my work on the paper never tired- me. No literary work ever did or does. In this connection I remember an amusing incident, which happened a little while ago with our doctor. He asked me what my hobby was. and I replied waiting. "You lucky man,'' he said, " to be able to have for your hobby the work you make your living at." While the story was still running 111 the Referee—l had written about .thirty chapters—the proprietor of the liathurst Times and I had a difference of opinion. The result was that 1 left them and returned to Sydney to the Referee and Sunday Times, where they were good enough to find a place for me. After the storv had run to forty chapters, the proprietor of the Referee came to me : one day and "said: "How 11111 rh longer is this story of yours going on'." "Oh, about thirty or forty cliapteVs," 1 replied jauntily. He opened 'his eyes in amazement, and then he shook hi* head. "No, it isn't," he said emphatically. "'You've got to bring it to an end ill two mole number-.'' I did. That ■worthy proprietor was evidently frightened "at I lie idea of hiving to cash up his guineas for so man}' more chapters.

r felt quite proud when the story, ■which had iboen printed under the title of •• With the Tide," jvus finished. Week week as it appeared 1 eul it out ut" tlie paper and pasted it into a book in order to s'liow it to some friends. Our day 1 hastened to meet Mr. Kettlcwcll, the manager of Messrs. Edwards and Dunlop, a firm of loeal publishers. He told me that his wife, who was a literary woman, 'had read the story and liked it, and he advised me to take it to his firm. I' called on Sir. Dunlop, who weighed in his hamls the three manuscript books in which the cuttings had been pasted and said humorously: "It is very heavy." As lie sat down l:e said he might bring it out, but lirst lie wanted to know how much money 1. would put up for the purpose. " What!' I exclaimed, ''put money up to publish my book? I want somebody to put money down for it." lie would not give" anything, .so I left and. took the manuscript with me. A few days later Mr. Kettlewell wrote to me that Mr. Holmes, tin- manager of .Messrs. lloutledge, was staying at the Empire Hotel, Sydney, and advised me to go and see him, 1 called with the three books under my arm. We sat talking for two hours, and I left, lie went off to Melbourne, and 1 did not see him for about a iliontli, when one day 1 met liini ill Sydney. " What have you . done with that thing of mine:" I asked. " Why, 1 sent it home weeks ago,'' he replied. "I began to read il one night and stayed in bed the next day to finish it. What do you want for it?" 1 did not know what to ask, and while I was pondering he suggested a certain price at .which I nearly collapsed, I thought it was so big. I, however, soon recovered from that condition, and he wrote a letter to his firm in Ijondon embodying the substance ol our conversation. .Messrs. lioutledge cabled accepting my terms, and wanted to know if I had any more stories of a, similar kind. I had. although 1 vv,i> not aware of it at- the moment, and : 1 subsequently wrote four- or five-and-twentv novels for them.

As i have said, it was originally called "With the Tide." It, was found, however, that that title had been used already, so it was changed to "111 the Swim,'" and some of the i-opies were printed accordingly. Suddenly, however. it was discovered that that title bail also been used, and one of the members of the firm hit on "Thy Double Event,'' which 1 always thought was the best name for the book. So little lime elapsed between its being sent home and its production, that the primed novel was oil the Australian market in live months. It was not only my lirst -iK-eoss. but. in many "ways, it was the biggest of a 1! my successes. )t paved the way for my career as a writer. Immediately following it, I wrote live or six serial yarns for the Sydney Referee, before I left Australia in 18!)5, and it led M niv recognition as a novelist. Since then 1 have written and published altogel her over seventy novels besides many short stories mid innumerable artieb-s. Later on " The Double Event" dramatised, and was prodiieed at ' Theatre Royal, Melbourne, when- it. ran for a inoiitii—a long run lor .Melbourne in those days—and it was subsequent!,' played in Sydney and other town-. Jenny Eee, famous for her inipersona- [ tinu of ".fo." acted on it. I. howe\ei. did not- get much out of it, except a I eertain amount of kudos.