The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-08-18
his reasoning ,aouitie. were incspauu o.

mess before him, when the door Of his
sanctum softly opened, and Miss Hopkins,
with aprofusiOn Of smiles and bows, entered
"Oh, I'm 50 glad found you alone" said
Miss Hopkins, in her most pleasant man
ner, as she seated herself In o chair at bis
side. "Tve just got the first installnent Of
my story ready for the press, and know
you will be delighted with H. was aston
ished myself at the story. and laughed and
cried In turns at the funny and pathetic
parts"
Disagreeable as II was under ordinary
circumst ances 10 be bored by this crudo
authOrcss, Allen almost welcomed her on
this occasion, for the torture OF her crude
manuscript might direct his mind from o
subject that had become exceedingly pain
full
"Do you think you have real remarksr
bic novel, Miss Hopkinsir be asked.
IL know n, know II just let me read Q
few pages 20 you"
Somehow, amateurs patroniztng country
newspapers always insist on reading
their own productions 20 the editor Like
the frst-born infant, they are too delicate 70
ontrust 10 other than parental hands Miss
Hopkins began:
1.-THE MYSTERY OF THE ROCK HOUSE
ON THE HILL,
OR,
THE GHOSTS LAST WALK on TIE HUYB
Story ~ ~. and DeatA, Loos and S.peysos
urdI'n
"You see, am something like Hawthorne,
delving into the supernatural" sold Miss
Hopkins, with smile which displayed her
false teeth
$50 1 observe, please proceed" said tho
editor, trying vory hard To be interested
q It, aa1l. a ls.ls IA.
sighed Il rnournful requiem through che
tree tops, and n was at that bcwitching
hour when gravcyarts yawn aud ghosts
stalk forth Tho reader paused 70
mark the effect on her hearer. He sat IN
moved by the startling beginning, nnd she
osked HIM how be liked IL Very we'll no
thought, and said "go on She went On.
IL was q crude story, full of improbable in
cidcntS, and gushing over with tear stained
love scenes. The heroine was such tender
hearted creature, and had such tendency
10 burst into tears, that the reader soon be-
came disgusted with such imbecility, and
was In constant dread Of another explosion
The funny man was "a strained character at
best He was constantly at his wits end 10
b. witty. Ia fact, the story was fiat and In
sipid, and while tho editor knew no could
not use u, he had IA great dchcacy in ex-
pressing his real opinion Of II.
"What do you think Of 1t, Mr.. Gray" she
finally asked.
Allen was at critical point There sat
the authoress before him. holding the dear-
ly beloved creature OF her Imagination in
her hand. He would as soon think OF tell
Ing a doting mother that her child WAS ugly
as 10 express his real opinion Of this story
% Miss Hopkins. She had influential
f-op1a ,.aranpa ~ frraat Iapth md 1mpn
who had long since discovered wonderful
embryotic genius In Miss Leethy. To TO
!cct hor story was 10 Insult their intelli-
gence and influence, while 10 publish twas
TO make himself the butt OF ridiculc by all
thinking people. II would require skillful
management TO steer clear of his many
complications, but Allen was equal 10 tho
emergency.
ave couldn't publish IA serial story in tho
Western Republic now, Miss Hopkins" no
said. "Wouldnt 1t be better 10 send il 10
Harpcr's"
The reader may ask what harm the Har-
per's had done him that he should wish 10
inilct this punishment on them. But We
must remember that Allen was only a hu-
man being in great strait Drowning men
will catch at straws, and Allen, like all
other men, was ANXIOUS 70 shift the load no
bore upon the shoulders OF some c"e else.
Moving uncasly in her seat, Miss Hopkins
replied;
II don't think II worth whio 10 send this
10 the Harpcr's, Mr.. Gray, they are too old
foqyish 10 even discover true genius, you
know. Like all the established publishers,
they have got 10 going in lines and ruts,
which new genius struggles to break away
from. One can't doit with those publishers
None of 10 large magazines ever develop
nny thing; they are simply abte 10 buy tho
Jewels which somo poor miner has dug up
All of our suoccssful authors make their
start on Obscure publications."
~ believe you are mistaken, Miss Hop
kins. Harpor's would read your manuscript
and decide fairly upon IT,"
~ am suro they would not" she per
sisted. "lf they don't find this out Of their
rut, they have some special favorito whose
manuscript ia justahcad of mine, and they'll
send II back with u printed apology that its
rejection Is not necessarily lack OF literary
merit, but because thoy have something
like IL on hand. Those New York publishers
arc not In sympathy with now authors"
Miss Hopkins was woman OF literary ex-
pcricnce and was not 10 DO induced 10 give
uarpcr's the infinite pleasure OF rejecting
her manuscript
81 am sorry; but Il really have not
space fcC your story AT present, Miss Hop
kins," said Allen. Being able 10 put but ono
Interpretation on his refusal, she asked:
"Arc you going 10 commence ono OF Mr..
Barnes storics."
"No, we can not possibly uso serial at
present" he answered.
"Why"
because our pcoplc think that In order
90 buhd up this town all space possible
should be devoted e. H. Besides, the fall
election is coming on, and the canvass will
necessarily demand great deal OF space"
Miss Hopkins looked very much disap
pointed, but after "a few moments she said;
Can yUu use poem occasionally"
Il think can
This only partially repaired her d!sap-
poiutmcnt She declared the people of Tur-
loy's Point must bc very ignorant 20 refuse
such "A novel as The Mystery Of the Rock
House on the 1Iiu," and bcwallcd the fato
% struggling genus, held down by the iron
hand OF prejudice.
She took her manuscript and left the
olicc with u hook of disappointment and
heavy heart We console ourselves that
Miss Hopkins Is not tho only author who
has met with disappointmcnts.
Her visit had temporarily led Allen
Grays mind from the subject which had
become so painful, but when she was gone
{ returned with double force, and all his
efforts to forget Bertha, by plunging into
tusincss, were unavailing. That beautiful
hoipfr ,Vhn hal vrpyvn ~ lpar IN hia heart