The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-23

nOusenOld WOulu not De tOucneu Oy her!
OF course you think Maggie very silly
girl, which she was, but there are great
many quite as silly all over the country,
whose literary aspirations are founded upon
as weak and sorry foundations. A person
must have purpose, experience and inspi-
ration TO write.
Don't sorget your PROMISE Hester whis-
pered the next morning, as she met her sister
on the stairway.
"Come along, them" Maggie answered,
and in solemn state Hester was ushered into
the garnet, and there compelled to swear
never TO reveal the great secret which was to
be entrusted to her honor.
Now, then" said Mag, mysteriously,
I'm writing story to be published in
magazine"
"A real storyI' cried Hester, ''and it's go
ing 10 be printed Where is it?''
Here said Mag, laying her hand on
pile of untidy, blotted pages, which reposed
in the broken lid of an old trunk
What, them blotty papers," cried Hester,
who was always serenely obliyiOus of gram
mar
"A few blots won't matter" Maggie
answered maiestically. It's the mean ones
who are so very particular The printers
business is to correct all mistakes. / expect
my story Will be beautifully illustrated, full
OF splendid pictures"
''Oh my!' was all Hester could say. For
once, the irrepressible was conquered, and
she gazed with respect at the supposed writer
of an illustrated tale.
Wasn't it very hard to write real story?'
she asked.
Mag put on a careless air.
We'll, it isn't every one who has genius,
you know. But if they have things Just
come to them without their thinking hardly.
Now, I'll just read you page or so of the
story that you may know how it runs.
Eoline (she's the heroine,) after going
through all kinds of dangers and trials, is
wrecked on an island.
= Sadly Eole gazed over the sea, which,
ripping on the sand, washed her fairy feet
with its briny tears. She did not see that
her satin slippers and rich dress were
| drenched by the salt spray -
Gracious. hadn't she been wrecked" in
| terrupted Hester. Don't you s'pose her
| clothes were drippin' wet when she got to
land, and how did she manage to keep on
slippers"
'Pshaw.' impatiently, 'she was wrecked
in the night, goosey, and her clothes had
| time 10 dry. But people don't think of
those things when they are interested in a
story" She read on.
| - Suddenly white sail appeared above
the horizon, like the star of hope. Eoline
| gazed, her white bosom heaved, her beauti-
| full eyes grew wild, and clasping her hands
| above her head, she cried, Saved saved.'
and fell in dead faint on the sand
"Oh, my goodness" murmured Hester,
NOW wasn't that an awful time for her 10
faint, just when she ought to be making sig
mails TO the vessel? OF course, if she was fat
on the ground, they couldn't see her. Then,
too, the sea might come over, and sweep her
| away"
II will not read another wordm' cried
Maggie Indignantly, throwing down her
manuscript. you've no more appreciation
| of literary work than old Daisy out there
eating grass. Who asked you to criticise?'
Il wasn't criticising," Hester said humbly.
In fact, she didn't quite understand what
| the word meant. Il think it's beautiful
story, and do please read more"
NO" releptlessly, ''you don understand.
/! When the story is printed you can read il
ali at once. I'm going to send it off to-mor-
| row."
So when the next day came Maggie her
self took the precious parcel to the post
office. Then followed a week of waiting,
| and during that waiting Mrs. Lynn's proph-
ecy was fulfilled. and her work conquered
her. While she lay i'll, Mr.. Lynn said to hi:
daughters, THE doctor says your mas clean
outdone with work. l don't understand
how that can be, with two stout, strong girl:
like you to help her.
80 pa" cried Hester, burstiag into tears
81 did do all / could, and ma knows it, too.
well, cant say where the fault lies; but
I'll tell you one thing, and want you to
| remember it. Doctor says if your ma keeps
on working so hard when she gets up, she
won't live year" He turned away and the
two girls looked at each other with appalled,
faces.
"Oh, 1 ought to have helped hertz sobbed
Maggie; but then Tll help her more when
| | get the money for my story. Well hire a
servant and she shan't do a stroke of work
i ought to hear this evening, Hester. Please
go to the office and see if there isn't letter
for me-
ii oHo
and bulky package. With trembling
fingers Maggie opened it, and everything
swum before her eyes, as her own manuscript
dropped out. The letter was the usual polite
form declining with thanks-the sugar coated
pill which is as hard to swollow as a dose OF
NORWOOD. But the editor of the magazine
went little out of his way to give few
words of sound advice:
"YOu are very young, am sure from your
| writings" he wrote, land l advise you as a
friend TO waste no time in foolish storie.
which have no merit, and which distract
your mind from real duties and useful work.
You will have to change your style and pur-
pose, or you will never make even fair
writer. A writer must have purpose be-
yond mere fancy; but you can make your
self good, true woman, which is more than
all the romances in the world"
Probably Maggie felt very sore at the down
fall of her ambitious hopes, but mortifica-
ton, and remorse for her own neglected
duties, taught her an excellent lesson. Anxi-
| city for her mother, and the thousand and
one little duties which fell to her share, pre-
vented all morbid regrets.
Mrs. Lynn recovered, and has no occasion
to complain of want of assistance, but she
knows nothing of "Eoline's Fate" which
lies in the darkest corner of Maggie's desk.
Hester never betrayed the secret, but in her
Utmost soul she thinks the story was rejected
because the publisher was jealous of her
sisters genius. She had not read his letter,
however, and can't understand why Maggie
has deserted her garrett and changed her
whole manner of life. But Maggie is making
an experience, out of which she may yet
have something useful to write.
Before one writes for the world, one must
have something to say.