The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-06-03
A Literary Success.

II don't care, SO far as am con-
cerned," said a young man, fresh from
college, addressing his father, Il care
not for myself but for you. That you
have lost your fortune is indeed serious,
but
Eyes, but, Ebert, what will you do?"
The young man smiled. Il shall 60
into literature.
The old man smiled.
II am in earnest, sir. am no
novice. my essays at college were pro-
nounced grand. My valedictory was
declared to be one of the finest things
in the English language"
"Indeed?"
That's mat"
a"And now you propose to profit by
your great accomplishment, eh?"
That's what again.
Il don't know what shall do, my
son. l may engage myself to a friend
of mine who operates bone mill.''
"Oh, don't say that; you shock me. I"
''That may be, the wise parent re-
piled, ''but | warrant you that at the
end of two years 1 shall have more
money than you have"
s'What, in view of all my literary ac-
complishmentsp"
"Yes."
Il do not like to strive against an
honored father but I feel constrained
to 90 you one time"
'All right. Are you going to write
for the magazines?"
eyes. sir"
"Well, here are twenty dollars, the
half of what money possess. Go, and
at the end of two years come back"
Farewell. dear father.''
$50 long"
The young man. with a soul full of
confidence, strobe away. He knew that
his keen literary sickle would reap a
rich harvest. When he had wandered
many miles away-when he reached a
town, to which he had told the maya
zine people to address the letter con-
tanning Il check for him, he tremulously
sought the postoffice, Yes, there was
package for him. What a large
check they must have sent. Alas! upon
opening the envelope he found his man
uscript, with printed circular telling
him that his contribution might possess
great merit, but that it was not avail
able. Albert did not despair. He had
stout heart. He thought of his father
who crushed the bones of old horses,
and perhaps the bones of old men,
and, bowed over table, he wrote from
memory one of his other essays, I,
paper which the professor of Jimgaloot
College said was the finest thing he had
| Il
back, honored by printed circular of
reflections; but it is painful to follow
this young man through his literary
ups and his unlterary downs. Nearly
every one knows the precariousness of
a literary life.
Let us-do it, whether you want us to
! Or not-return to the old man who work
ed in the bone mill. BY honesty and
close attention to business he, after Il
! while, owned the mill. Two years pass
| ell. He had not seen his sons name
quoted in the literary market. The old
mans heart sank within him. 1t could
sink nowhere else. One evening, while
the father sat in the library congratu-
lating himself upon the fact that he was
worth twenty thousand dollars, the son
burst into the room.
"My dear father!'
my son!'
The two men shook hands warmly.
When they had sat down, the old man
modestly said: Gilbert, l own the
bone mill and am pretty well heeled.
I'm worth twenty thousand dollars"
The young mans face assumed an ex-
preston of disappointment. -
''ls not that quite enough, my sonP'
-"Oh, yes, but l was in hopes that
you had prospered."
Haven't Ip"
mot much.'
"How has your literary venture sue
ceededp'
"Splendidly. attempted the maga-
zines, but found no appreciation. Their
tried another field -
"But haven't seen your name"
mo, for have adopted nom dt
| plume
''Ah, what is thatp What works
have you writtenp"
IL have made many thousands OF dol
lars. My nom de pianse is Slew Foo
Dan, and l have written The Mac
Dogs Tooth, or the Frown of the Con
vict.' -
(, The old man tainted in his sons
arms.-Arkdns0s0 Traveller.
Those who have tried 1t say they would rath
or De struck three times by lightning thar
| once bv n liphfninU rod pef1lllar NeDxldu In