Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-05-08
my FIRST EDITOR.

l snatched up my manuscript anu
was leaving the room flushed with
shame. trembling with rage and indlg-
nation, when the editors voice arrest
ed my attention. turned round and
looked at him scornfully, for could
have withered him With glance, but
he did not seem to feel it much.
You're a most impetuous young
lady," he said in a slow, musical
voice. 81 have not half finishtd my
criticism of this very remarkable pro
duction," and he took the manuscript
quietly but resolutely from my tremb-
ling fingers. No, Mas"
Clones" / said. shortly.
"No, rot Jones; but the name will
serve;" and felt his keen gray eyes
on my face and observed an amused
smile lowering round the corners OF
his mouth, which was half hidden by
long, fair, dropping mustache.
"Now, Miss Jones. pray sit down.
he indicated high leather covered
chair just opposite to him-'and let
us talk this matter over. Ii you had
been content, like other aspiring
young authors, TO send your contribu-
ton in the ordinary way, through the
medium of the post,man and news
paper wrapper, it would have been
declined, doubtless, and returned with
or without the customary, though not
very consoling, thanks; but, since
you have bearded the lion in his den,
you must listen to me for few min
utes."
| bowed and sat down. lie had got
out his scalpel and was going TO
scarify me mercilessly, but "a had
brought it on myself | felt | must
herolcally endure il, though l glanced
surreptitiously round the den" ia
search of some means of escape. He
"ixed me vita his gltteriug eye, J"
and | waited, wondering why | had
been so mad and misguided as to enter
an editorial Office atall.
Slowly, deliberately, with a sort OF
finished satisfaction, he smoOthed out
the crumpled manuscript, glanclng at
me with amused interest
why do you write poetry, Miss
Jones2"
81 don't know; because l like to, l
suppose"
IA woman's reason-therefore
valid. But do you honestly and really
think it necessary for people, even in
poetry, and surprising they are very
much in love with each other-which
no one is now a days. it necessary
for them to be bitten and smitten,
and that sort of thing2 Is 1t really
desirable in the interest of common
humanity for hearts to be ''raelted'
and "smeIted9" and he placed his
finger under certain stanza. This
sentiment, for instance, is simply
feroclOus."
"Don'tr / cried, angrily. cts
very cruel and unkind of you'll If
you don't want my poetry you can
say So and have done with itp
MY passion flowed forth rs a tor
rent, which. of course, rhymes with
abhorrent."
stop, please, and | thrust my
fingers into my ears in the most un-
dignitied misery, but | could not shut
out the sound of the clear, quiet,
mocking voice. | shut my eyes, but
still there Was tho horrld, gloating,
good looking editor watching me
steadily, lis hand resting on my
beautifully written poems; | thought
then, and think to this day that it
was and is beautiful. When looked
Mt him again he was laughing at my
distress, smiling to himself like a
ghoul, or a happy, or something
equally horrid, but that he was eXas-
peratingly good looking.
Now, Miss Jones, what else have
you written besides this very remark
able productions" with another sap
pressed smile.
Some blank verse and banker prose
And moro Of both than anybody knows. "
reply, n little bitterly, "Will you
please give me nay manuscript I'm
very sorry to have troubled you;
shall never do so again"
'Oh yes, you will, and | shall be
very glad to consider soma OF the
blank prose you speak so despairingly
Oft II you will let me see nice, matter
of fact, commonplace little story, or
short article on some useful domes,
tic subject, such as THE Average
Servant" or Occupation for Girls"
anything of that sort you
suggest anything2" and he looked at
me gravely and questioningly-
Something novel and attractive, that
might be treated briefly aud brightly,
made feature of, III short, I shall be
very pleased to consider anything of
that sort you may favor me with,
Miss Jones"
lie always paused most provokingly
after the Miss" and l hardly knew
whether to get angry or to laugh out
right as | stammered feeble THANK
you"
Aud you really should cut Swin>
burRe,' he added with a meaning
glance at the manuscript.
~ don't know Mr.. Swineburne,
that is | met him only once, and then
he said something to me in Greek, !"
l replied
He might have said something
much worse But l mean you
shouldn't devote so much of yoar
time to his poetry, the Poems ard
Ballads" for instance, and the Song
Before Sunrise"
How do you know / dot"
Internal evidence, and he touched
my manuscript This betrays a
severe course. You must alter your
style, Miss Jones. Time enough for
you to come to the cynical -mstaphysi
cal incompreheusible in ten years,
say. You'll be educated up to the
point of not believing word of it by
that time. Kindly leave me your adj
dress and the manuscript shall be re-
turned in the usual way"
No. Il Brown street, Bloomsbury,
w. c." replied, my face crimson,
care OF Mrs. Kent
He wrote it down, and then stood
up to indicate that the interview was
over, bowed formally, ana then
touched a bell. Suddenly small
boy appeared, who conducted me
down dark, breakneck stars, through
several mouldy, dusty, labyrinthine
passage and out through a booksellers
shop. felt more thoroughly small,
mean, miserable and disguised than
had ever felt in my whole life, as /
emerged from the shady by-street
containing the office into the light
and hustle of Piccsdilly, and, as got
into bus | vowed never again to
come to personal encounter with an
editor. Hitherto / had been content
to drop myllittle contributions modest
ly into the letter boxes of certain
weekly publications that delight in
small stories, or would send them