Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-10
The Unfinished Manuscript.

Literary men have, somehow, receiV-
ed kind of social black eve; that is,
no one believes that they are quite rs
good husbands or as good fathers as
they should be; and from the observa-
tory OF casual view, this is correct
Few people know to what extremities
literary men are reduced. Few, very
few indeed, know how they court the
so called muse of inclination The
man who handles the drawing knife or
plane can, ifhe be in physical condition.
do his work creditably; but the literary
man though he may be in robust health,
and though he may not have an ache
or pain, is frequently unable to do
acceptable work. This is curious
freak which no student of metaphysics
can explain, for the mind of man. al
though it Is constantly becoming clear
er and more capable of comprehension,
is still something which Newton can
not define, nor Bacon perfectly eX-
plOre. A mans mind seems TO have
but little to do with his affections, for,
although his heart may be warm, his
words are sometimes cold.
Il want you to 90 to bed" said Mr..
Mecklamore. the well-known novelist,
to his little girl. Every night when I
sit down TO work you persist in snort
ing around. Go to bed, I've got work
to do.
''She can't understand you, said
Mrs Mecklamore. Il don't think that
she is we'll"
"She's always i'll when l want to
work. She seems to study the time.
What DO you want to snort that way
for? You are enough to drive man
crazy"
Robert, don't think the little girl
can help it." the wife replied. She is
too young TO know anything about the
Importance of your work"
well, it's time she was learning"
the author exclaimed, turning, with an
angry air. ''Other people can work
without interruption. don't see why l
should be imposed on. I'll go down
town. I can write there without inter-
ruption," and he gathered up his pa
pers and left the house.
Quietly and without the slightest in
terruption, he worked for several hours.
Occasionally, while his mind was deep
in the moulding of character, he
hear an exclamation OF gladness; but
he waved aside the vision and worked
on. Late ut night u boy came with
note. The message ran:
Il am very uneasy about Dora; l
think she has the diphtheria.
My work is done for tonight" he
unused; and, arranging his papers with
a discontinued air, he went home. He
found the doctor there. The little suf-
ferer smiled at him when he entered.
She tried to say something, but ''papa'S
come, was all he could understand.
An unfinished manuscript stared at
him.
'Is it very violent attack" he ask
ed of the physician.
Eyes, very"
The mother sat on the edge of the
bed. The father approached. He
couldn't see the lines Of the manuscript
now. The little girl choked, and they
lifted her up. The father put his arm
under her head. The unfinished manu-
script was dim.
''She has been aiIing for several
days." said the mother, "but we did
not think that there was anything seri-
Gus the matter with her, She has been
50 gay and SO full of frolic that we
didn't think anything could all her."
The sufferer looked at her father and
tried to speak, but, failing, she put her
hand into his and smiled. The unfn-
ished manuscript was dim. With a
struggle she said:
Am | bad?"
mo, angel, whispered the father.
do you want me to go to bed?"
mo, dariing." The unfinished man
uscript was fading more and more.
''She is past all help" the doctor
said.
The mother hid her face in the win
dow curtain. The father took up his
child in his arms. She looked at him
and was dead The unfinished manu-
script had faded. -Opje Real, IN I'eras
STtings.