The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-18

erary subjects; and, as I said before, or
this particular occasion, we discussed in
tornational copyright.
II understand that WiReleby & Co. are
to print nothing but American works
now" said Collins. THAT ought to give
some of You a chance"
''Observe,' said Baker, in my ear, ''that
Collins doesn't SO much az hint that it will
give him g chance. He wants US to under
stand that he has a market for all the stories
he can WRITE"
HAS heY' I whispered.
eyes; for all he can write. He couldn't
write one to save his life"
"Tve q great mind to try Wigg!eby d Co.
with The British Hog said Callahan. 'It's
a s~atirical novel. and I've heard that he
wants some good humorous work."
lsh Hog"
"Have you read the manuscript" l asked
him, in q low voice, as Callahan turned to
Collins.
mo" replied Baker, 'but he invited me
to dinner and we had The British Hog for
dessert. He read it all, | think. l became
unconscious at the end of the fourth chap
ter, but l understood he finished it. !
meant to put you on He carries the
manuscript done up in blue paper: and il
he comes into your office with a bundle of
that description, get out. if you have to use
the fire escape"
AA1D A0 CS0 AAaN
"No; but he has some very courteous let
iers from several of the best houses, declin-
ing his work. So have l and you know
what a chump / am"
II belieye | gave you a hint Of the plot of
my story said Callahan to Collins. you
would hardly have thought from that how
finely the plot developed. You remember
that my leading character was a young
titled Observation-Disclosures tilted his
chair back against the wall-"who falls in
love with an American heiress, but the
truth is land I have clearly brought it out
that all he wants is her money. That
makes a good situation at the start, and"-
Collins closed his eyes-''insures the inter
est of the reader at the very beginning.
Then there are strong incidents and a good
deal of incidental humor. For instance,
when the Englishman comes across to
wealthy pork packer in Chicago. Il love
your daughter says my lord, 4 hope you
understand me- Perfectly replies the
penetrating. American parent, you're the
sort of goods Pve dealt in all my life"
Collins cigar fell from his lips. I'll
awoke with a start. Everybody laughed te
ace him rub his eyes and hunt for the Still
lighted cigar in the folds OF his capacioul
vest. Callahan took our merriment as a de
served tribute. He addressed US all, though
he still pretended to be talking to Collin
confidentially.
"I'll just sketch the plot to you briefly
When | get my lord the duke to America
"By jove,'' said Collins, pulling out hi
watch and pretending to be alarmed, "Tv
got an engagement at the Fifth Avenue i,
1--WE minutes. Sorry to leave you, boys
He pulled on his overcoat. CALLAHAN
most Immediately, remembering our laugh
ter.
Il think the leading idea is a frst-clas
thing" he said, ''and-'
But it's a little worn Cal. my boy,' sait
Hastings. American authors have to keel
Up with the times in this country of hust
lers. Now I've an idea for II story
t"1 knew he had" whispered Baker, 'tbu
cherished a faint hope that We might es
cape it,
(which is right up to date. All thi
talk about DR.. Koch and the bacilli has pre-
pared the public for a good fiction on TIN
subject"
"If the public demand isn't satisfied b,
the foreign dispatches You have been writ
ing, Hastings" said Baker, there's no us,
in trying them with self confessed fiction
NO; but this is n good thing said Has
tings. my leading character il an inRen
ious Yankee doctor. who is called to atten,
Jay Gould. While he's studying the Littl
Wizards case he discovers and isolates til
bacillus of financial success. Oh. I'd lk
TO write a description of that bug. Well
ne i~aoculates himself with it and gets
mild attack, during which be collects hi
bill from Jay. Afterwards the thing net
like a vaccination and he can't make a dol
lar to save his life
~ guess we've all been va~ccinated tha
way" said Richards, az he wrote his nam
on his check ahd asked the waiter to carr
it TO the desk.
HAS Hastings ever made success at ft
tom" / asked Baker. 81 thought his ide
for a story was rather good"
'fSuccesst' cried Baker. 'He makes Slt
a week in space on the Globe, and not
paragraph, not a line, not a word, by jung
that he ever wrote had even SO much as
rag of truth to it. Fictionl Did you res
his dispatches when Ssnator Bedloe wi
dying and he vas sent upto watch the cas-
Why, sir, he took a medical dictionary al