Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-19

him to fill the position and the latter would
induce him to take it at S12 week. Brown
was to read manuscripts. The idea de-
lighted him. He had every sort of conf
dence in his literary judgment and felt so
sure of rapid advancement that he borrowed
$40 more of me, and agreed to settle up
within two weeks. On this occasion he had
a great deal to say about the value Of being
surrounded by literary atmosphere.
thought of the stuff which Rags & Co. pub
lish and shuddered.
saw Brown quite frequently during the
first week; once during the second, and not
at all in the third. At the end Of that time
1 called at the Office Of Rags & Co., to see
what had become of him-and my $15. I
met old Rags himself.
His Judgment Didn't Suit.
"Well, he amt here any more" said
Raggs, in that classical English, which long
familiarity with 10-cent detective stories,
has given him command of; II had to fire
him. He came near rejecting the best thing
ever offered to me. Look at that"-and he
showed me the proof of title page, bearing
picture of woman coming down ladder
in gale OF wind-"there's the best title
ever saw. Anybody reading it would think
that the story was the most corrupting that
ever was issued. whereas there isn't word
in it that Comstock could fasten his paws
onto. Why, sir; 1 paid the author over $50
for his novel, and yet your man Brown said
the story was utterly worthless. What
do YOU think of that for literary judg-
ment?"
Iadmitted thas it was fearfully bad what
ever way you looked at 1t. 1 met Brown
shortly after leaving Raggs & Co.'S Office.
He was standing at the intersection of two
streets, and he frankly confessed that he
was trying to decide by process of pure
reason, which one of the four corner saloons
set out the best free lunch. He had no data
but the appearance OF their exteriors, and
the feeling of his own interior, which natur-
ally predisposed him toward the nearest
one. lent him 4 dollar and received his
blessing as collateral security.
Happy in a Provision Store.
Well, I haven't time to follow Brown
down into the dismal dungeon: of dsspond-
ency, whittier an experienc. of not mort.
than four months in the metropolis led him.
He came here weighing 167 pounds, and
pulled up with confidence. In few brief
moons his weight had gone down to 140 and
his confidence to zero. He had told me on
the first day that he would never 60 back
to his home in Maine except as q distiu-
gushed visitor. OF course be didn't phrase
it just that way, but his meaning was OBJ
vious. He had reached a great center OF
culture and literature. He felt great forces
steaming within him, and they were bound
to drive him head first through all obstacles.
Fame heckoued him, and he was willing TO
shout Let her go, Gallagher" and join
the procession at the front end.
1. took, as have said, about four months
to knock all this out of him. At the expira-
tion of this chastenipg experience he came
to ME and said: "Mr. Fielding, my uncle
In Goose Falls, Me-, has died, and left me
sole heir OF his provision store. Think Of it
"a provision store? At this moment there
are barrels of crackers and pounds of cheese
waiting for me at Goose Falls. And they
are all mine. I can eat, and eat, and eat;
and if my voracity drives me to bankruptcy
shall at least have had square meal.
Lend me enough to pay my fare. 1 will
mortgage the store as'soon as I get there.
aud send you the money. 1 don't want to
ride in a parlor car. Four months ago I
should have insisted upon it, but now am
willing to go as freight. Do not talk to me
of blighted ambition or blasted hopes The
thought of that cracker barrel in Uncle
Jabez's store sustains and comforts me-"
HOWARD FIELDING.