Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-28
HOW SHE GOT THE PRIZE

HOW SHE GOT THE PRIZE.
Ihave been writing for ten years.
and had never in all that time received
as many dollars as had written years.
| | wrote stories. essays, sketches. sharp
| things, sweet things. and cross things.
A good many editors sent me their
papers free. and had stacks of them
| that never had time TO read, but they
were handy to put on shelves and to
use as wrappings.
For few short sketches l had been
paid the princely sum of 25 and 35
| cents; but was paid mostly in compli-
ments. Now compliments are very
good things il backed up by the cash,
but otherwise they are hollow mock
| cry.
At last | grew wretched and began
! to hate the whole world and all the
people in it. especially editors. and to
be revenged on them threw down the
| pen and took up, not the sword. but
the hoe. raised early vegetables for
market. sold strawberries, and black
berries, and rhubarb. and sage. l had
the earliest cabbages. and beets. and
cucumbers in the market, and l kept
chickens, and turkeys. and bees. and
ed to; no drunkard ever thirsted for
the discarded cup as l hungered for
that pen of mine; or, if he did, he has
my deepest sympathy. The subject
would come into my mind and name
itself. the sentences would form them
selves and take their places; even the
paper that might send it to would be
before my mind with the article all nice
ly printed. with not 4 single typograph-
ical error.
But bid the tempter down, and went
on with my hoeing-and Furnishing the
world. One day friend handed me a
monthly to read. glanced over it, but
read not a world knew that back of
that paper there must be an editor, and
| thought knew that all editors were
nv sworn enemies-and after holding
the paper awhile handed it back, say
ing thought it very good paper from
what had read of it.
A few weeks after received letter
from the editor of that same paper ask
ing me to contribute to its columns. l
answered briefly that | was not writ
ing any now; that had no time Then
the editor wrote that he paid for all ac-
cepted articles. and urged me to write
| was at that time wading through
the mazes of a rag carpet-cutting
sewing, coloring, and winding. tearing,
and sneezing. had rags everywhere
on chairs and tables, in boxes and
baskets, out on the clotheS-line, and
upstairs on the bed-but | sat right
down and wrote of what was nearest
my heart-rag carpets
In two weeNS it came back with q
note from the editor saying: Good,
first-rate; but | want all the matter in
my paper to be easonable; and, as the
paper is made up three months ahead,
your article would have to go in the
June number. when it would be too late
for making carpets"
Then | wrote of strawberries and
green peas, of birds and leafy trees;
and told the editor that | would write
every month. Nothing was said about
the pay. but had made up my mind
to ask dollar a paper-that would be
Sl2 year-and l thought would be
worth that much to the paper. He nev-
er asked me what charged, but at the
end of three months sent so. was
greatly surprised, and thought some OF
writing to ask if he had not made
mistake in sending me so much-S10
for three short letters, that would be
$40 year income; and an income of
$40 represents capital of how much?
The so came Saturday evening, and
that night before slept l settled how
would spend them.
The very first thing l would buy
should be carpet-sweeper that rolls
along like a lawn-mover and doesn't
make particle of dust. had always
wanted one, but had not had the mon
ey to get it. Then John should have
a rubber coat-not another rainy day
should pass without-and Minnie could
have a new hat.and it should be bronze
green aid would cost probably 50, the
coat 50, and the carpet-sweeper So;
then there would be 81 left, which |
could spend for stamps and paper. for
| was always out of stamps and always
short of paper. l went to church Sum
day and told Minnie about it and she
tolu the goOu people tnat She boarded
with, and we had little quiet rejoic-
ing all by ourselves.
Monday morning John was going af-
ter a load of tile-the ditchers had come
and they would need it before noon
and just before he started he asked me
for the SlO to pay for the tile and l
gave it to him. He bought the tile and
the men buried it two feet under
ground, and visions of spring bonnets.
coats, and carpet-sweepers were
buried with it.
About this time there came to me a
printed letter from a firm offering to |
fix up stories and sell them for GER
tain per cent. Now. l thought. here |
is my chance, and l sat down and wrote |
q story and sent it to them. In q few |
days they sent another typewriter let
ter saying that had great ability, but
that the story needed little"pruning"
and '.grafting." and that pleasing fic-
ton. such as | wrote. was in great de-