Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-11

put Oh III UHfeo~IHOusdHot-p OuIu-d-
year suit q always put on my three
Observation-Disclosures suit when | call
on a publisher-it awes 'em); and l
was shown into the sanctum. Old Mr..
Scorcher, the head of the firm, re-
ceived me. l generally see Wagge.
Wagge is the junior partner-Wagge
and | are rather thick.
Old Mr. Scorcher had face a yard
long.
Twill you kindly look at that Mr..
Nibbs?n 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
in fact the whole bag of tricks.
/ began to turn over the leaves, and
then ! nearly jumped out of my skin.
1t was my novel. my successful novel
-sLinda-s Lovers" Its wicked
Americas piracy! / cried; land they'd
! have the impprtinencp to alter the title
ana the names '.RacheIs Romance"
in,lccd. BY ,Tovr they've just simply
lurne4 !.;u,.a turo Elrhel. and-and-
| ami
lit was published four years ago."
said old Mr.. Scorcher, simply. You
sold it to US as an original novel"
Its piracy" cried, IAN internal
piracy!"
Il don't doubt you, Mr.. Nibbs. I
quite believe what you say-but-"
Then we talked for long time. [
told him that no human eye but P. Us
had ever seen the manuscript till his
firm had purchased it.
~ 70 wiz,
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.
went to New York at once.
I called on Barrabas & Co.. the pub
fishers of 'Rachel's 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. Mi CHIT
they give me a volume of his short
storiesP I thanked them. A glance
was enough-they were my short
stories. Paul Jones was a miserable
pirate, wretched jackdaw in peacock's
plumes! | would make it very hot,
indeed, for Paul Jones. | took the
letter of introduction, went straight
to Boston, where Mr.. Jones the talent
ed author lived.
/ found his house. | found his
widow. I found his marble tomb,
with a catalogue of his virtues; he had
only been dead a month.
Then, gradually but slowly, l
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 ,arte de visite. Then
b. 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-
lieved in Paul Jones. His widow, a
gentle little woman with tender eyes,
sold me many sheets of his original
compositions photos of my MSS.).
Paul" Mrs. Jones remarked, was
a 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 | recopied
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 "RacheIs Romance"
/ hadn't the heart to underceive the
poor little woman who believed in her
pirate.
returned to England sadder and
wiser man. Scorcher is perfectly
satisfied-he is indeed. They
Scorcher. Wagge & Co. are bring ing
out my new book.
Is there a moral? Yes, there is a
moral. 1t is as we'll for an English
author, in submitting his work to a
possible buyer to know something OF
the person he is dealing with; for Mr..
Paul Jones (P. j is not the only Rich
mond in the tield.-St. James Gazette