The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-09-24
Old Mr.. scorcher had a face a yaru

Old Mr.. Scorcher had face a yala
long.
''Will you kindly look at that, Mr..
Nibbs?" he said in awful tones. He
put little book into my hands-a very
nice little book-Japanese paper, mar
gins, special type, delightful etchings
i'm fact. the whole bag of tricks.
began to turn over the leaves, and
then l nearly jumped out of my skin.
1t was my novel. my successful novel
-''Linda's Lovers" ''It's a wicked
American piracyE' cried; ''and they'd
have the impertinence to alter the title
and the names .'Rachels Romance"
indeed! BY Jove. they've just simply
turned Linda into Rachel, and-and-
and
ut was published four years ago."
said old Mr.. Scorcher, simply. You
sold it to us as an original novel"
Its a piracy" cried, 'an Internal
piracym
Il don't doubt you, Mr.. Nibbs. I
quite believe what you say-but-"
Then we talked for long time. l
told him that no human eye but P J.'s
had ever seen the manuscript till his
firm had purchased it.
You'll have to go to New York;
you'll have to unearth the pirate; you'll
have to prove the whole thing.
TIT very serious thing for us-a much
more serious thing for you" said old
Mr.. Scorcher.
Of course he was right.
Invent to New York at once.
l called on Barrabas & Co., the pub
fishers of ''Rachers Romance" They
were very nice people, particularly nice
people. They would give an intro.
duction to Mr.. Paul Jones the author,
at once. He was rising man. Might
they give me volume of his short
stories? 1 thanked them. A glance
was enough-they were my short
stories. Paul Jones was a miserable
pirate, a wretched jackdaw in peacock's
plumes! Iwould make it very hot,
indeed, for Paul Jones. I took the
letter Of introduction, 1 went straight
to Boston, where Mr.. Jones the talent
ed author lived.
I found his house. I found his
widow. / found his marble tomb
with catalogue of his virtues; he had
only been dead month.
"Then, gradually but slowly, /
learned the truth. Mr. Paul Jones was
an ingenious man. He had photo.
graphed my manuscripts; each sheet OF
foolscap. when photographed, was the
size of an ordinary carte de Uisite. Then
by the aid of a magnifying glass he re-
copied my manuscript; and he attained
IN this way name and fame and
dollars.
Everybody in Boston thoroughly be-
Heved in Paul Jones. His widow,
gentle little woman with tender eyes,
sold me many sheets of his original
compositions (photos of my MSS. ).
paul, Mrs. Jones remarked, 'was
very ingenious man. He was afraid
his work might get lost; it did get lost.
But we had the photos. and with the
help of a magnifying glass 1 reeopied
all my husbands work. All, what a
clever fellow he was, stranger; his
name will remain written in letters of
brass on the heart of all American
readers as the author of this charming
work." and then she handed me copy
of 'tRachers Romance"
hadn't the heart to underceive the
poor little woman who believed in her
pirate.
1 returned to England sadder and
a wiser man. Scorcher is perfectly
satisfied-he is indeed They.
Scorcher. Wagge & Co. are bringing
out my new book.
Is there moral? Yes, there is
moral. 1t is as well for an English
author. in submitting his work to
possible buyer to know something OF
the person he is dealing with; for Mr..
Paul Jones P. y is not the only Rich
m0nd in the field -St ,T191zee Gnzefte