Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-16
Magazine Editing.

I was at Lotus Club dinner re.
Gently, and pretty we'll known jour.
nalist, being called on for "a speech
a speech - after the uproarious habit OF
that intellectual circus, tod q
story: cit might be called" said he,
with slv look at the head OF the table,
where sat, in presidential majesty, a
corpulent, slightly bald, middle aged
man, cit might be called How 1 got
into q magazine" Then he changed
to the other foot, blushing slightly,
leaned on his fork, and said:
81 had an article once which
thought would make six pages in a
magazine-if it got a chance. 1 con-
cluded to give the Atlantic Monthlv the
benefit of it, because that was superb
creation of the human intellect, and
ought to be encouraged. / sent it to
that periodical, saying that it was my
maiden effort, and asked the editor to
send me the 500 by draft or money
order. In three weeks it came back,
to my utter amazement, with the
printed notice that it was excellent, but
not exactly adapted, etc. saw that
the editor OF the Atlantic was fool. l
sent it to another Unknown magazine,
Offering it for $50. 1t came back in
two months, just when I was looking
for it to appear. That magazine, too,
was evidently failure Ithen sent it
(price $15) to tirst-class weekly, that
printed just such things as my sketch,
Mary Wanley's Guide, but not half as
we'll written. Again it was sent back.
could not understand it. could not
Abelieve that our periodical literature
was decayiDg SO fast. l offered it to an
other journalist for nothing. telling
him I was beginner, that this was the
first effort of the sort had ever offered
to anybody, and l watched his face as
he examined it suspiciously, and finally
returned it to me. saying that the style
was faulty; the idea was good, though
it might have been used heretofore;
but with study and careful practice 1
would make, perhaps, in time, etc.
- was mad, gentlemen !" said the
speaker, amid the roars Of tho COM
pany, and, leaning or the chair with
his other hand he went on: "Some-
thing heroic must be done Two years
had passed. 1t was now 1871. 1 re.
solved to storm the citadel. / hor.
rowed my brothers sealskin overcoat,
so as to look as imposing as possible,
and struck for an illustrated magazine
had not tried-one of the finest works
OF art in the world. The door. keeper
stood briskly aside US went in and
asked for the editor, whose name l did
not then know. l was speedily ush.
cred in the presence of q young man,
who asked me to he seated, and in.
quired my business. TO see the edi-
tor He would examine my manu-.
script. Very well, Issaid, standing, I
must have an answer in fifteen min
utes, as I leave on the next train for
Boston, He parleyed, but I was Sc
we're and taciturn, and reached for the
manuscript which he had taken. L
will see Mr.. - said he, naming the
editor himself. The latter appeared.
AWe will send this to you by mail, said
with You only fifteen minutes re-.
piled. He looked surprised and glanced
at the title. You can surely leave it
for one night he expostulated. No,
! rejoined, resolutely, I have other
uses for it. In that I suppose he
scented the opposition house, for he
took off his overcoat (he was Just going
home), and said: Il will look it over,
now
"He was fine looking man as he
sat there in the dying twilight, rather
corpulent. slightly bald, middle.aged
man lat this the company turned to.
ward the presiding officer, who was as
red as boiled lobster, and then they
roared with glee) and he looked up in
about ten minutes and said: I will
take this -; Mr.. Oliver, please make
out check for $50 What 2 asked
$50? My price is $685. AL, said
he, passing the manuscript to me, it
it more than we ever pay anybody, ex-
cept famous writer's. delivered q
stately bow, took the roll of paper, and
turned out of the door. We'll said
he, calling to me, well take it at
$125;' and Mr.. Oliver made out my
check.
"The worst Of it is, or the best OF
it," said the narrator, that have not
seen or heard of that sketch during all
these seven years."
The Lotus Club hall rang with
cheers and laughter, for his manner of
telling the story was indescribably
uEoAAs huu tucu I'll pAILIeS turueu u.
ward the presiding officer, who was rec
ognized as the hero of the narrative.
He rose slowly to his feet; the blue
went out of his face, and even the scar
Yet turned to the rosy flush which is
Sabitual to it, and he smiled cheerfully
~ the time the cheers and outlaws
which greeted him had died away.
1.-The fact is" he began deprecating-
ly, and then there WAS another great
roar of laughter; "yes, we'll remem-
Der the circumstance. I kept the
sketch to keep its writer from intlicting
it on some weaker magazine. Our
house is rich. can afford to stand in
the breach. If it were not for the
work we do in buying articles capable
OF injury. the mortality among maya
zines would be incalculable. Yes,
gentlemen. when person with fl ghty
temperament comes in we exert every
nerve to get possession OF his manu-
script, to prevent the desolation that
might otherwise ensue.. Such an arti
Gle might fall into the hands of men
who would inadvertently printit. We
I<...Vr . a.