t--not a very costly affair; a matter of two
pounds ten and an old silver turnip that I had by me. It was wonderful
how that one half-sovereign opened up my ideas. I looked into the future
as far as eye could see, and I saw myself earning an income--for at that
time of day I had acquired no artistic feelings at all, and I genuinely
wanted to make name and fame and money--I saw myself a young woman who
could make a couple of hundred pounds from one novel, and I gloried in
the prospect.

[Illustration: MR. ARTHUR STANNARD

(_From a photograph by Frances Browne, 135 Regent Street, W._)]

I disposed of a good many stories in the same quarter at starvation
prices, ranging from the original ten shillings to thirty-five. Then,
after a patient year of this not very luxurious work, I made a step
forward and got a story accepted by the dear old _Family Herald_. Oh,
yes, this is really all relevant to my first book; very much so, indeed,
for it was through Mr. William Stevens, one of the proprietors of the
_Family Herald_, that I learned to know the meaning of the word
'caution'--a word absolutely indispensable to any young author's
vocabulary.

At this time I wrote a great deal for the _Family Herald_, and also for
various magazines, including _London Society_. In the latter, my first
'Winter' work appeared--a story called 'A Regimental Martyr.'

I was very oddly placed at this point of my career, for I liked most
doing the 'Winter' work, but the ordinary young-lady-like fiction paid
me so much the best, that I could not afford to give it up. I was, like
all young magazine writers, passionately desirous of appearing in book
form. I knew not a single soul in the way connected with literary
matters, had absolutely no help or interest of any kind to aid me over
the rough places, or even of whom to ask advice in times of doubt and
difficulty. Mr. William Stevens was the only editor that I knew to whom
I could go and say, 'Is this right?' or 'Is that wrong?' And I think it
may be interesting to say here that I have never asked for, or indeed
used, a letter of introduction in my life--that is, in connection with
any literary business.

Well, when I had been hard at work for several years, I wrote a very
long book--upon my word, in spite of my good memory, I forget what it
was called. The story, however, lives in my mind well enough; it was the
story of a very large family--about ten girls and boys, who all made
brilliant marriag