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paper against the door jamb and standing with his good eye seeming to lean on his pen, writes with incredible speed. Sometimes he spends hours in this uncomfortable position.
And with results!
Hearn's favorite column for the Item was "Our Book Table," a remarkable series of book reviews and literary criticisms. Since he read with lightning speed — and could apparently commit to memory almost as fast — Hearn evaluated not only contemporary American works, but also the best French literature of the day, translating excerpts for his column.
Sometimes his editorial courage must have given the Item's advertising department serious indigestion. This, for instance — "The Item will not hereafter notice fourth-rate novels, stupid volumes of poetry, and whatever is generally termed 'Trash' in more than one line, if at all. With a daily paper the literary department is a news department. It is the medium through which the public is informed as to what good books are for sale, and where they may be obtained. We do not consider as an item of any news value, the announcement that a worthless novel is for sale and we take this opportunity of requesting publishers and booksellers not to send us any more trash."
A second column was the source of many chuckles for those Vv'ho knew Hearn best. He was a man of notoriously poor judgment, particularly in questions of love and money. Yet "Our Advice Book" was designed to answer the problems of the Item's readers — and most of these problems were matrimonial and financial.
Sivin^ August, 1945
Even recipes were included in this journalistic potpourri. Oft-quoted is his reply to the correspondent who inquired how to make tartar sauce. "There are two good ways in which a tartar sauce may be made," advised Hearn. "You can try whichever you please; but if you are in a hurry the second will suit your purpose better than the first. First — Catch a young Tartar: for the old ones are very tough and devoid of juice." After describing the killing, skinning, and cleaning of the young Tartar, Hearn at length got around to the more orthodox Tartar Sauce Method Number Two, having to do with hardboiled egg, mustard, and olive oil.
In addition to these two columns, Hearn also maintained, rather regularly, "Odds and Ends," "The Item Miscellany" and "Varieties." He frequently contributed to "Wayside Notes," and his title of "assistant editor" was not too grand to forbid an occasional straight news item.
Though journalists of today might gHsp at the stupendous amount of brain-and-pen-work required of Lafcadio Hearn — they would strangle completely at the thought of his salary. He was given $10 a week when he .started at the hem and was gradually increased to the munificent sum of S20!
But this was not the ultimate in the man's versatility. ... In 1879, he learned that his paper was tottering on the verge of financial ruin. Partly because of loyalty to the Item — but mostly because, in his ovcrv.'hclmine shyness, he trembled at the thoueht of seeking another job — Hearn racked