Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-08
Mx sToRY.
By MRS. =. T. CoRBErr.

esting2 and do you think it is naturally,
! asked these questions anxiously, as |
laid down my manuscript, and Susan
hesitated as she answered Well. If
you want to know my candid opinion
Miss Margie, it's just this You see
you're not in love and never have been
In love, so how can you write about what
you don't understand? TO nv mind
that's not possible, and that's why vour
love stories don't succeed. .
Susan's words carried an unpleasant
conviction with them was not quite
twenty 1.-TWO, and / had already won a
fair reputation as writer of short stories.
except on one theme. / had never. try
as l might, written successful love
story.
The one had just read to Susan was
my latest effort, and, as usual, / felt that
it was q failure. But only replied some.
what petulantly:
Well, Susan, I cannot fell in love as
mere matter of business, you know; so
don't see what is TO be done. =
Dear, dear. It's too bad" sighed
Susan; but / would not continue the
conversation. thrust the unluckv MS
into my desk, and decided to spend the
rest OF the morning in the woods bv way
of restoring my downcast spirits.
Susan was an important person to me,
as she was at once my maid, confidant,
old friend. She was also an excellent
critic, and had often found her iudr-
mcnt invaluable. That morning, how
ever, felt vexed with her and with all
the world, so when / returned from nv
ramblc | was not at all pleased to find
that new boarder had arrived and was
sentcd Oh the piazza, as if he was W. it
ing to greet me- This was LYMAN Ash
ford, a young lawyer, and q great IA
vorite With my sister and her husband.
at whose house he was constant visi
tor
Although we had been much together
during the past year, and although I
knew him to be as clever as he was
handsome, he had never interested me
In the least. Now, when he came to
meet me with such q smiling confidence.
as It he had a claim on my time not to be
gainsaid, felt that my manner was far
from gracious. mentioned very briefly
the reasons which had drawn me to d
place where could be nndisturbed, upon
which Mr.. Ashford said quickly:
You have stated my case, too, Miss
Carleton. / am busily engaged on
compilation, which, though it needs no
originality, calls for much hard work.
So / came here to finish it. Then he
bowed and left me, much to INV relief.
and ! saw no more Of him for some
days
Meanwhile was working hard at nv
new story, but making very little pro-
gross.
/ wrote and rewrote, tore IN nv
sheets aud began again, but I felt IT
heart that was not succeeding, and be-
gan to be melancholy and morose. One
evening Susan was evidently III 4 very
excited mood. Instead Of listening to
my plants with her usual patience, she
exclaimed eagerly: "0h, Miss AEargie.
I've got an idea. II you had real lover
70 study one who was dreadfully in
love, you know-wouldn't that hello
you2 Couldn't you put down what he
said and thouuhtr'
Why, yes, Of course could. but
where could such ! lover BE found2 And
do you suppose, you foolish thing that
be would lay bare his heart for nv IN
spectionl" asked, laughing ia spite Of
myself.
susan looked mysterious ssBut. Mss
Margie. I've seen the lover already. and
I've heard him. too; 90. there's one diff
hculty out Of the way oh. he talks
Just like book, / can tell y0nl's
why, Susan, this Is astonishinolss Il
cried land, pray, who is this wonder-
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