The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-11-28
The Lost Manuscript---An Editorial
Romance.

Mr.. Parker was Hurried his face was
disturbed, almost distorted, by an unusual
expression of annoyance and disgust
and when his eyeglasses dropped from
his nose, as they had a way of doing, he
replaced them with kind of vicious
energy. His desk was in state of chaos
to which he had reduced it in half
hours search of increasing vigor; usually
it was model of nestness and order,
every pigeon hole was distinctly marked
and dedicated to a specific purpose, aud
every paper lodged in any one of these
carefully Disseminated apertures was
numbered, dated, and deity folded. 1t
was part of John Parker's character to be
orderly, and it was also the necessity of
his occupation. AS the managing editor
of a popular magazine, which furnished
large circle of readers with monthly in
stallment of the best current literature,
he found himself in the vortex of whirl-
pool of correspondence and manuscripts
that came in every morning with the
buoyant energy of food-tide, and sub.
sided every afternoon with the lauguid,
reluctant movement of an ebb that always
left discouraging debris behind. There
were days when Mr.. Parker actually
hated the mail, and mentally wished that
the government might come to some
temporary ruin in order that the mails
might be suspended for week. But the
wished.for disturbance never came, and
the governmenent continued to perform
its functions as letter-carrier with deliber-
ate regularity.
The work of conducting large CORE
h,,t
the reading of manuscripts which de-
voured Mr.. Parker's time, consumed his
mental vigor, exhausted his patience, and
kept him continually on the verge of re-
signing his position. They came from all
quarters of our own capacious country
and from beyond the seas; they treated
every possible theme in every conceivable
manner, and they exhibited every variety
of penmanship from the formal precision
of apparent copperplate to the free, bold
hand which scorned all the traditions of
chirography.
When Mr.. Parker reached his Office in
the morning he exchanged the Prince
Albert frock coat which he uniformly
wore for less pretentious garment, care
fully adjusted his eyeglasses, and seated
himself at his desk with an expression
in which Roman fortitude and Christian
resignation were happily mingled. He
proceeded to separate the heap of manu-
scripts which an assistant had placed be.
fore him into three smaller piles in one
he collected all the verse, in second all
the stories, and in third all the miscel-
laneous contributions. Then he read,
conscientiously, verse, tale, and essay,
marked the larger number of each kind
with an unhesitating and unmistakable r,
noted the fact Of acceptance on one or
two, and reserved few for further con-
sideration. As a rule this work brought
him to midday, and to the second chapter
of his daily task.
At thirty, Mr.. Parker had already &C.
quired an orderliness which had become
second nature; and, therefore, he was
uncommonly furried and disturbed on
this particular morning by his inability
to find certain manuscript which he had
read, folded, and Endorsed with his ap-
proval one week before. In his endeavor
to find it he had thoroughly examined
every part of his desk, searched every
pigeon-hole, and now, flushed and little
dusty, he was celebrating as to what he
should do next. At length he touched
an electric bell at the side of his desk,
and was Immediately confronted by
small boy.
"Ask Mr.. Perkins to come here mo-
ment."
The boy disappeared, and was replaced
moment later by Mr.. Perkins, who also
wore eyeglasses, and was one of the as
sistant editors.
"Good morning Mr.. Perkins. l am
a good deal troubled because have mis-
laid manuscript. 1t came about week
ago, and was a very uncommon story.
The title was John Dolline's Quest
DO you recollect seeing it ?"
Mr.. Parker looked at the assistant edi.
tor with the evident hope of an answer
that would end his perplexity, but he
was doomed to disappointment Mr.. Per.
kins had not read the manuscript, and
knew nothing about it, Mr.. Parker
thereupon, and very deliberately, exam
ined his desk second time without any
result, then walked up and down his office
few minutes in evident vexation, and
finally recovered himself with an effort,
rang for stenographer, and addressed
himself to his correspondence.
At half-past four Mr.. Parker was ready
to leave his Office; he had cleared his desk,
resumed his Prince Albert frock, and was
on the point of putting on his light over
coat, when the boy brought him card.
lie put on his Eyeglasses and looked at it
suspiciously; he evidently expected
new contributor.
"Miss Elinor Ferguson" he muttered,
soto uoce "who in the world is she ?
Well" speaking to the boy, who stood
waiting, "show her in
Miss Elinor Ferguson proved to be
very comely young person, simply but ad-
mirably dressed, and conveying by her
quiet dignity and composure full informa-
ton as to her social traditions aud sur
roundings Mr.. Parker was pre-eminently
aperson Of taste; he knew instinctively
what was good, not only in quality but in
form, and before he had asked his visitor
to be seated he had given her the benefit
OF his unqualified approval. The young
lady hesitated moment, as if the bust.
ness In hand were new to her, but her
voice betrayed no nervousness when she
said, noting the overcoat ON his arm:
81 will detain you only moment.
learned yesterday that there was va