Punch (85.1883)

September 15, 1883.]

PUNCH, OP THE LONDON CHAPIYAPI.

121

HOLIDAY RESORTS.

(.Ec-sortccl by Dumb-Crambo Junior.)

Scilly.

Hay ling Island.

Mumbles.

Barrow Route.

lie of Man.

AIDS TOWARDS MAKING CHRISTMAS ANNUALS.

Subjects and Titles.—The most popular stories at merry Yule-Tide
are those dealing with the more violent kinds of crimes and the
gloomiest of ghost-stories. The narrative of a carefully-contrived
assassination always attracts numerous readers. The first essential
is to get a good title, which should be startlingly attractive. We
suggest then the following:—“ The Doom of Dr. Deadset." “ The

Crime of St. Anne's Crypt.” “ The Hangman's Pupil." “ The

Death in Avenue Terrace." “ Mrs. Poison's Boarding-House."
“ Found Dead; or, The Secret of Laurence's Dancing Academy."

“ Mike's Mate ; or, The Forgotten Murder of Monks-Mummery,"
is long, but attractive. If the story is to deal with high life, Lord
Leonard's Legacy sounds well, but requires some such rider as,
Or, the Pope of Newgate, to give it proper pungency.

If murder is discarded in favour of horrors, then the title should
be startling and mysterious. Here is a short list which will be
found useful:—“ The Blood Spectre." “ The Story of Gnome Ceme-
tery." “The Shadow Shriek of Vampire's Folly." “ The Curse of
Blind Bride's Ferry." “The Iron Foot!" “Phantom Hands!"
“ The Monster of Murdock Manor."

Opening Sentence.—This is all important. The cover and the title
of the work attract the casual bookstall-reader, but the initial line of
type usually determines the question whether the book shall be
bought or not. A very popular story a few years ago commenced
with the rather startling announcement

“ The murderer paused in his ghastly work."

It matters little what follows so long as interest, is immediately
created. The stories, in fact, can take care of themselves. Thus such
sentences as the following may be recommended with confidence :—

1. “Dead! And I am chained to him!” gasped Rupert, on

awaking in the wood from his terror-swoon-

2. The ship was sinking when the half-murdered Marchioness

reached the deck-

3. As Ralph commenced to burn the will hurriedly, he saw that

the widow of the dead man had entered the family vault, and was
watching him-

4. The Jury returned with their verdict-

5. “I thought so Was I am an Analytical Chemist, the coffee con-
tains poison! This, then, accounts for the Major’s sudden death! ”

6. The two enemies both tried to reach the cord attached to the

safety-valve of the balloon, when-

Taking the above as models, tales may be easily fitted to suit them.
All that the Author has to do is “ to try back.” For instance, in

i^ have to work up to the situation of a man finding him-

self chained to a dead companion in a forest. Perhaps they were
prisoners who had escaped. If s;o, how did they get into gaol—and
how did they get out ? Then, in No. 2, how came the Marchioness
to be half-murdered, and under what circumstances did she find
herself in a sinking ship ? In No. 3, why was Ralph burning the
will m the family vault—and what was his relationship to the dead
man and his widow f Both Nos. 4 and 5 may relate to a murder of
a mysterious character. In the last, two enemies are struggling in a

balloon—why are they struggling, why enemies, why in a balloon ?
If a practised Author puts these questions to himself and answers
them, he will find that he has half-a-dozen genial stories ready to
hand admirably suited for family reading round the Christmas fire.

General Hints.—Having title and initial sentence, the next thing
to obtain is a good “ index to contents.” The story should be divided
into Books, each having an attractive heading. Four Books are gene-
rally sufficient, and should form a series. Take the idea of a river
such as the Mississippi for instance. Book 1. in this case would be
“ Before the Falls ! ” BooklL, “ Shooting the Rapids! ” BookHI.,
“In the Whirlpool!” and Book IV., “Smooth Water!” Or the
notion of a campaign may be adopted. Here, Book I. would be,
“ Before the Battle ! ” and the others respectively, “ In the Enemy’s
Camp ! ” “‘The Forlorn Hope ! ” and “ Vce Victis !" This last story
would, so arranged, have a tragical conclusion; but should the
Author wish his tale to 1 ‘ end happily,” he would of course change ‘ ‘ Vce
Victis!" to “Peace at Last! ”

Each Book should have its proper number of Chapters, all with
suggestive titles. For instance, “The Old Clock turns Traitor!”
“ Only a Glass of Water! ” “ Arrested ! ” and many others of a simi-
lar character would be found useful. But, perhaps, the shortest way
is to give a skeleton story to act as model for others. Say it contains
four Books, each having four Chapters, and that the key-note is given
in the opening sentence, “ The drowning man still defied his assassin
in the moonlight."

THE DARK DEED OF DEADMAN’S dingle.

Book I. Air!—Chapter 1. The Murder near the Brook ! Chap. 2.
Lucy’s Lover fails to keep his Appointment ! Chap. 3. Detective
Dowter’s Excursion ! Chap. 4. Arrested on Suspicion!

Book II. Earth !—Chapter 1. The Pistol is found in the Fernery !
Chap. 2. Dowter’s Note-Book ! Chap. 3. Retained for the Defence!
Chap. 4. The Magistrate’s Decision !

Book III. Fire !—Chapter 1. Lucy receives a mysterious Visitor!
Chap. 2. Blood-stains! Chap. 3. A Scrap of Paper! Chap. 4. The
Black Cap!

Book IV. Water! — Chapter 1. “When Thieves quarrel!”
Chap. 2. The Condemned Cell! Chap. 3. Lucy learns at last the
Secret of Deadman’s Dingle ! Chap. 4. “ Advance, Australia ! ”

Thus, having given the outline of the Story, all that is necessary
is—to write it.

O !

(The Cry of the Poor Clerk.)

0 ! XOT for me the briny breezes blow ;

0 ! no ! nor Avill the sun my pale cheeks brown.
0 !—well, in fact, I’m like the letter “ 0,”

And never out of Town !

“All ix the Same Boat.”—The Premier, Mr. Herbert Glad-
stoxe, the Laureate, Mr. Hallam Texxysox. Excellent materials
for a Currie. “In the same boat,” said Douglas Jerrold, “but.
with verv different skulls.”