Preface

The narrative of Vera Zarovitch, published in the Cincinnati Commercial in 1880 and 1881, attracted a great deal of attention. It commanded a wide circle of readers, and there was much more said about it than is usual when works of fiction run through a newspaper in weekly installments. Quite a number of persons who are unaccustomed to bestowing consideration upon works of fiction spoke of it, and grew greatly interested in it.

Vera Zarovitch’s narrative, published in the Cincinnati Commercial in 1880 and 1881, attracted a great deal of attention. It reached a wide circle of readers. People talked about it much more than they usually did about fiction published in weekly newspaper installments. Quite a few people who did not usually pay attention to fiction spoke about it and became very interested in it.

I received many messages about it, and letters of inquiry, and some ladies and gentlemen desired to know the particulars about the production of the story in book form; and were inquisitive about it and the author who kept herself in concealment so closely that even her husband did not know that she was the writer who was making this stir in our limited literary world.

I received many messages and letters asking about it. Some ladies and gentlemen wanted to know the details of how the story came to be published as a book. They were also curious about the author. She kept her identity so secret that even her husband did not know she had written the story. It was causing a stir in our small literary world.

I was myself so much interested in it that it occurred to me to make the suggestion that the story ought to have an extensive sale in book form, and to write to a publisher; but the lady who wrote the work seemed herself a shade indifferent on the subject, and it passed out of my hands and out of my mind.

I was so interested in the story that I thought of suggesting it would sell widely as a book and writing to a publisher. But the woman who wrote it seemed slightly indifferent to the idea. So the story passed out of my hands and out of my mind.

It is safe to say that it made an impression that was remarkable, and with a larger audience I do not doubt that it would make its mark as an original production wrought out with thoughtful care and literary skill, and take high rank.

It is safe to say that it made a remarkable impression. With a larger audience, I have no doubt it would make its mark and rank highly. It is an original work, created with thoughtful care and literary skill.

Nov. 14th, 1889.

November 14, 1889.