The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-08
wrestling With Editors.

stand before the editor; he takes
the manuscript, unwraps it, is read
ing it, glancing at 1t, skimmlng
through the last few pages, turning
over the rest, then hands it back to
me.
at is rather lengthy; l hardly
think we could find room for such
an article" He bows takes up an
other manuscript from his desk.
| creep down the steps with a
heart so heavy think it must have
turned TO stone.
1t is drilling rain. The afternoon
has become baleful. | don't care If
| get soaking wet, and my best dress
and hat are just ruined. / won't
catch up my skirts. Let them take
care OF themselves | made them
short enough. l don't try to keep
my heels out of the mud, but tramp
over the crossing with desperate Tat
footedness. 1t has been looked at,
called nothing but lengthy q detest
that word and returned to me. L
clutch determinatsly at the remnant
of courage, gather it up, hold 1t
tight, and start for the next newspa-
per office.
60 slowly up the steps, fairly
drag myself up, wishing they would
reach to eternity, and there was no
such place as editorial rooms at the
end. All too soon l stand before
the closed door. 1t is too much.
The spirit is strong but the flesh is
weak. | turn on my heels, go MINI
bly, down again, and lean against the
banister with a sick heart. think
| will give it up. The roll in my
hand stands on end and stares me
/ in the face. Oh, dearl don't
know, though, why l should feel so
meek, have such a hang-dog air.
They do every last one OF them,
publish trash and plenty Of stupidity
I told things. l seize my manuscript,
or it seizes me. We mount the
steps, open the door. Another one
of those hghtish-brown mustached,
pretty young men steps toward me.
look at him sharply. | was IN
that state of fierceness that, do be-
lieve, if had found the shadow Of
smile lurking in his face | should
have boxed him, but he stood be-
fore me quite grave.
a" | brought this piece for the
paper"
lis it story?"
/ feel a spasm of a laugh in my
threat.
NO, sir"
The managing editor, guess, is
the person you wish to see"
At this another gentleman steps
forward. My balance has been slip
ping away from me. What ayails a
frantic grab? fall into a state Of
topsy-turviness, head over heelness.
The words that | had made ready
stick to my lips, and | can only put
the manuscript into his hands quite
dumbly. He shows me an inner
room. points TO chair, seats him
self at desk and begins to read.
My eyes fall on a waste-basket by
his desk. "Oh, you open-mouthed,
greedy, hope-devouring, Unsuitable
thingl" and | shake my fist at it,
/ 1t gapes at me insolently and looks
expectantly, like a dog waiting for a
bone, at the paper in the editors
hands.
i will circumvent you yet, you
see, and | was so eXasperated that
had I been near enough | should
have upset it. =" | see this has lltera'
ry merit" ! start, start almost out
OF my skin as | hear these words
He merely remarks il, and goes or
reading. The revulsion from de
spair 10 something like hope is 81
sudden and sharp. | feel my face
f twist up, and the tears sprino to my
eyes, followed by a hurried anxiety
to get them out Of sight without be
. ing seen. | have just made my
. handkerchief as small as possible
and was slipping 1t up to my eyes
. when" This is something that vii
. interest the ladies
Up looks the editor my hand:
drop, my head Jerks forward, dowr
splash the two tears shamefully int
my lap. But his glance goes owe
: my head, as if he expected it to fal
on the face of taller person, but i
did not matter, the top or the ha
would do. | was seized with th'
! absurdity Gift, and coughed to drown
, a giggle
Heturns over the pages, glance:
here and there. Oh, 1or some powel
, to direct his gaze, If it would only
fall on that, on that, and not or
some hooked-together part. Wha
does that impatient pucker in hi
eyebrow mean? He turns to tn,
end. close my fist tight, and fetcl
/, my breath slow. He has turned
back to the beginning. The pucke
, is something out. Hope rises ram
. pant, | dart triumphant look a
the waste-basket.
1t is rather long; such long arti
cles rather repel readers than attrac
them. We have hardly room TO
I it."
= Hope falls fiat The waste-b baske
grins maliciously, and smacks it
a lips. But he did not say lengthy
making one feel that one has bee
long-winded, verbose, sprawling.
;. catch at one toppling hope.
He reads a little more an
then says, laying it aside on tn
table:
/ think ! will take this for tn
Saturday supplement, but call agar
| have no time to read all of
now"
i | came within an ace of flying {
II him and kissing him, but got deco
Il ously out into the hall some way
i and then clapped my palms sharI
I ly together, while painless tears ra
le over my cheeks. Hope, ambition
a JOY, gaew absurdly wild.
1t is raining quite hard in th
: streets. | spread my handkerchi'
!, over my hat, catch up my skirl