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under the same conditions； I continued； adding another two thousand
words before I finished； and then the third night I spent in cutting
out the excess； so as to bring the article within the conditions of
the contest。 The first prize came to me； and the second and third
went to students of the Stanford and Berkeley Universities。
My success in the San Francisco Call competition seriously turned my
thoughts to writing； but my blood was still too hot for a settled
routine； so I practically deferred literature； beyond writing a
little gush for the Call； which that journal promptly rejected。
I tramped all through the United States； from California to Boston；
and up and down； returning to the Pacific coast by way of Canada；
where I got into jail and served a term for vagrancy； and the whole
tramping experience made me become a Socialist。 Previously I had
been impressed by the dignity of labour； and； without having read
Carlyle or Kipling； I had formulated a gospel of work which put
theirs in the shade。 Work was everything。 It was sanctification
and salvation。 The pride I took in a hard day's work well done
would be inconceivable to you。 I was as faithful a wage…slave as
ever a capitalist exploited。 In short； my joyous individualism was
dominated by the orthodox bourgeois ethics。 I had fought my way
from the open west； where men bucked big and the job hunted the man；
to the congested labour centres of the eastern states； where men
were small potatoes and hunted the job for all they were worth； and
I found myself looking upon life from a new and totally different
angle。 I saw the workers in the shambles at the bottom of the
Social Pit。 I swore I would never again do a hard day's work with
my body except where absolutely compelled to； and I have been busy
ever since running away from hard bodily labour。
In my nineteenth year I returned to Oakland and started at the High
School； which ran the usual school magazine。 This publication was a
weeklyno； I guess a monthlyone； and I wrote stories for it； very
little imaginary； just recitals of my sea and tramping experiences。
I remained there a year； doing janitor work as a means of
livelihood； and leaving eventually because the strain was more than
I could bear。 At this time my socialistic utterances had attracted
considerable attention； and I was known as the 〃Boy Socialist；〃 a
distinction that brought about my arrest for street…talking。 After
leaving the High School； in three months cramming by myself； I took
the three years' work for that time and entered the University of
California。 I hated to give up the hope of a University education
and worked in a laundry and with my pen to help me keep on。 This
was the only time I worked because I loved it； but the task was too
much； and when half…way through my Freshman year I had to quit。
I worked away ironing shirts and other things in the laundry； and
wrote in all my spare time。 I tried to keep on at both； but often
fell asleep with the pen in my hand。 Then I left the laundry and
wrote all the time； and lived and dreamed again。 After three
months' trial I gave up writing； having decided that I was a
failure； and left for the Klondike to prospect for gold。 At the end
of the year； owing to the outbreak of scurvy； I was compelled to
come out； and on the homeward journey of 1；900 miles in an open boat
made the only notes of the trip。 It was in the Klondike I found
myself。 There nobody talks。 Everybody thinks。 You get your true
perspective。 I got mine。
While I was in the Klondike my father died； and the burden of the
family fell on my shoulders。 Times were bad in California； and I
could get no work。 While trying for it I wrote 〃Down the River；〃
which was rejected。 During the wait for this rejection I wrote a
twenty…thousand word serial for a news company； which was also
rejected。 Pending each rejection I still kept on writing fresh
stuff。 I did not know what an editor looked like。 I did not know a
soul who had ever published anything。 Finally a story was accepted
by a Californian magazine； for which I received five dollars。 Soon
afterwards 〃The Black Cat〃 offered me forty dollars for a story。
Then things took a turn； and I shall probably not have to shovel
coal for a living for some time to come； although I have done it；
and could do it again。
My first book was published in 1900。 I could have made a good deal
at newspaper work； but I had sufficient sense to refuse to be a
slave to that man…killing machine； for such I held a newspaper to be
to a young man in his forming period。 Not until I was well on my
feet as a magazine…writer did I do much work for newspapers。 I am a
believer in regular work； and never wait for an inspiration。
Temperamentally I am not only careless and irregular； but
melancholy； still I have fought both down。 The discipline I had as
a sailor had full effect on me。 Perhaps my old sea days are also
responsible for the regularity and limitations of my sleep。 Five
and a half hours is the precise average I allow myself； and no
circumstance has yet arisen in my life that could keep me awake when
the time comes to 〃turn in。〃
I am very fond of sport； and delight in boxing； fencing； swimming；
riding； yachting； and even kite…flying。 Although primarily of the
city； I like to be near it rather than in it。 The country； though；
is the best； the only natural life。 In my grown…up years the
writers who have influenced me most are Karl Marx in a particular；
and Spencer in a general； way。 In the days of my barren boyhood； if
I had had a chance； I would have gone in for music； now； in what are
more genuinely the days of my youth； if I had a million or two I
would devote myself to writing poetry and pamphlets。 I think the
best work I have done is in the 〃League of the Old Men；〃 and parts
of 〃The Kempton…Wace Letters。〃 Other people don't like the former。
They prefer brighter and more cheerful things。 Perhaps I shall feel
like that； too； when the days of my youth are behind me。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ Malahininew…comer。
End