Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-08-17

| Siuihctoh oPe, ESqulrc, VINO wondered
who could have sent it him. The fact
was that among the acquaintance of our
hero was gentleman of the press, a sort
\ lofpenny-a-liner, who after his work had
been measured, as they do carpenters,
7 with foot rule, and he had received so
\ much per inch, found that he did not ex-
actly build up his fortune as fast as he
(could wish, and that the table of Mr..
Shuff1eton Pope was a god-send, which
he very much missed now that our hero
had reti. 81 from the world Having a
alttle interest in the newspaper, he had
fcontrived to have inserted in review of
the magazine of the month when our he
ro's article appeared We understand
i that the very clever short tale in --
| Magazine, is from the pen of Mr.. Sbuf-
fiction Pope. of South Cooley, very
promising young writer.' This had en-
Bdeared him to our hero, who always well
coined him TO his table when in London;
and if no one else deplored the absence
of Mr.. shuffleton Pope, this literary gen.
tIeman did. TO recall him, rouse him
from hisinglorious soth, he had contrived
to insert the following paragraph. and he
now sent down the paper in which it ap-
peared. This magazine is not so good
as it usually is. We miss one of its best
writer's, to whose contributions we always
turn when we cut open the leaves. What
has become of Mr.. Shuflleton Pope?-
The publisher must be prepared to an
swer to the public if he expects his maga-
zine to continue its present circulation.-
/ We again ask, what has become of Mr..
\ Shu6eton Pope2'
This paragraph was a nectar to our
hero; he read it over again and again,
and then he showed it to Louisa, who read
it al ! trembled, for she had sad forebo-
ding in her heart, and then he showed it
to his uncle, who replied. well, tell
them that Shufleton Pope has turned
farmer arm aud is going to be married;' and,
after the first futterings of his heart had
subsidized, our hero thought the advice was
not bad, and made up his mind to think
no more Of the matter.
But the affair did not rest here. Al
though the reviews of magazines in news
papers are much beneath the editors at
tention. and turned over to the interiors
OF the establishment, still their effect is
great, If the paper has wide circulation.
lt'was very true that no one had heard of
Mr.. Shuffleton Pope, but still his absence
implied want of spirit or tact on the
part of the publisher, and this the publish
er felt would be injurious to his periodical;
for if publishers ride authors rough-shod,
they themselves, from interested motives,
tremble and vince under the lash of the
nleanest critic almost as much as the au-
thors themselves. 81 must send for Mr..
Shufleton Pope,' thought the publisher,
'and have an article from his pen in the
next number of the magazine. 1t wont !
be worth a -, know, but so much
the better; the public will then discover
that was right in dismissing him, and !
the criticism was UNJUST So argued Mr.. |
b., and he forthwith sent letter to Shuf- |
feton Pope, Esq, South Cooley, Hants,
which was duly received and run thus:
'MY DEAR SlR--If you are still inclin-
ed to give me few papers for our maga-
zine, we shall be most happy to insert
them, and will remunerate you as highly
as we pay our most esteemed contribu-
tors. We shall want an article for next
March, say twelve to sixteen pages, and
shall leave space for it. Yours very tru-
ly.' H. B."
That evening Mr.. Shuffleton Pope was
distracted, he answered no! his uncle,
who would have conversed with him.
Louisa was neglected, and he retired to
bed early; but he could not sleep, he was
IN fever - he threw off the counterpane,
it was so hot, although in the month of
February; the blanket followed the coun-
terpane- the sheet followed the blanket
at last Mr.. Shufleton Pope followed the
sheet, for he got up and struck light
He felt himself inspired-his suppressed
genius now bubbled and gushed forth like
a fountain. He sat down 20 his article
in his shirt, and so wrapped up was he in
it, that he required no other wrapper.-
He opened box containing all his rejec-
led contributions, and with their sssist..
ance commence The Tale of Mystery
a fragment Geniuses always delight in
indeed they generally dine
and sup off them. Had he called it many
fragments insead of one, he had been
more correct, for he commenced it with
a piece of moral essay, on to which dove
tailed palt of his tragedy, threw in spice
Of politics, followed the politics with part
Of his comedy, a little bit of his farce, and
wound it UP with poison and stillettoes.
It was a tale of mystery, sure enough, for
10 one could comnrehend it. Il hal as