Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-09-10

Some were sent for review, some to
the trade; one, with ten pounds, to my
dear author.
Who of all the people that glanced
at me guessed the labor which had
been bestowed on me in my creation,
and the JOY which 1 gave when
| lay complete on the breakfast
table one dark December morn
ingg How proud was the young hus-
band How he took me up and adj
mired my binding, my silver letters
and my title. BY the by, have never
told you my name. 1t was bright
DAYS"
''Ths is bright day to me, dar-
ling said the husband, hugging me
and the baby and my author in one
fervent embrace.
Then the ten pounds were examined
the crossed check!
Payable to you," she said, $50 you
must take the money. l am only a
woman, so can't take my wage. So
nice that ii is yours!''
How happy they were how full Of
bright plans and schemesl That ten
pounds was an FL DOrado-thal check,
signed by Messrs. Best Il Grove, like
a banner OF victory.
And now | must go to less pleasant
subjects. l was not succe COM
mercially-- hardly "a failure, but not a
success.
Thousands passed me in the race.
Books full OF dark deeds cheating,
murder, and the like-sold. Books
full of affected flights of aesthetic
culture and lofty agnostic teaching.
sold; but was passed by.
l must speak as a noun of multi
tude, for certain freemasonry is
established among us as a tribe, and
we know pretty well by results what
has happened.
Bright Days" the appearance of
which caused such pleasure in that
duh little London lodging, was lent TO
admiring friends and read; it was lent
to others, and dismissed with faint
praise.
A great critic in literature called il
goody, another dull; third laughed
over it with his clever wife. and wrote
what ho thought singing piece of
satire-only few lines. Bright
Days" was not worth more!
"Will you take another storyP" my
author asked of Me-. Best.
"Well, am afraid"-and the beard
was stroked thoughtfully-"I am
afraid-not at our risk; we must wait.
Autumn sales may effect Bright
Days. But. to tell you the honest
truth, there is not a spice of wicked
ness in the tale to insure it's success
with novel readers, no very startling
interest, no tragic incident-pray for
give my candOr-and then, for the
stricter folk, there is not enough said
of religion. Though some call YOU
'goody,' others think you worldly.
Your heroine goes to n dance, aud
once even to the theater, and, ridicu-
lous as il may seem, that is enough to
check the circulation in some homes.
$50 you think | had better never
write another book?" my author said,
in that sweet, low voice of hers, which
i well knew was the sound of repress-
ed tears.
IL would not 90 so far us that.
Your story Is true to life "a little too
true; it is well written; there are beau
tiful passages in il; but, to sum up i'm
a few words. Bright Days is not 3
success
Well, there are different notions "a
to success, but it seems to me that I
did not altogether fail when letter,
like the one which | heard my au-
thor's husband read TO her, was writ
ten about me.
1t came the very next day after the
interview with Mcssrs. Best & Grove;
it was addressed to their care, and
duly forwarded. My dear author
tried to read it, but the baby snatched
at it and tried TO thrust the crumpled
page into her mouth. and the young
mother handed it to her husband, say
ing:
''Do read il for me; can not mag
inc who wrote il"
at is about Bright DAYS. her
husband said, and L. lying on the
writing table. heard my name, and
was all attention.
The letter was as follows:
"WooDCHEsrER MANOR, May Is.
"DEAR MADAM-Will you forgive
me for addressing youP l az a
stranger to you, or rather | W.
stranger a week ago. Now | feel as
if had found friend in you, and
must needs tell you so. am prs
oner to sofa; all manly exercises in
which others OF my age delight, are
denied to me. have found my con-
dition sore trial of patience, and
know / have been a sore trial to the
patience of others. A few days ago q
box of books came from Nudes. Nv
servant unpacked the volumes as
usual. and at my request read me the
titles.
"At last he came TO Bright Days.
One Volume. BY Cara Cameron, Best
and Grove
1.-THE very title seemed little in
appropriate. tossed the book aside,
and, for day or two, greedily de-
voured the novels in three volumes,
which took precedence in your story,
dear madam. But at last, sick with
the repetition of the same incidents,
tragedies. tlirtations, and even worse,
took up Bright Days read it
once, and read it again, more careful
ly. The prison doors seemed to open
by its power, new life was kindled
in me by your words. Words of en-
enlargement to endure, of spirit to
take up the work God has given, not
to finch from service, even service like
mine, poor and faint, the power of en-
durance, not gloomily not grudgingly
given, but lightly and cheerfully.
Your heroine lives for me. hear her
voice and see her smile. Bright Days
indeed she makes for those about Ter,
and in making them she makes her
own. Beautiful Is the influence she
exercises over the most unpromisIng