Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-06-12
Ny MAGAZINE FUND.
BY K. G.. RICE.


Four months before i was graduated
from Wellesley College, some years ago,
l was troubled with the perplexing
problem Of how to get very nice gradu-
ating dress at i very low cost; for my
father, village merchant in Maine,
could Ill afford to spend more money
than was absolutely necessary for my
regular expenses.
Il do wish | could think of some way
10 earn the money for my Dress" l said
one day to my inseparable friend, Madge
Bennett.
"Why don't you write stories for the
papers?" she asked, impulsively.
What papers?" said with surprise
"Why: any papers-all papers-maga-
zines, quarterl:es, literary syndicates-
anything or anybody" she answered,
.springing to her idea in her usual enthu-
slastlc way.
"But I've no talent for writing"
protested.
Eyes. dear, you must have" she
urged, etfusively. "You don't know
how often I've stood enraptured to hear
you go Gu telling some yarn that knew"
(kissing me fervently; "hadn't word
of truth in it. Oh, know you could be
a great novelist. Think of being pointed
out by strangers on the street as the cele-
brated MiIhcent Warner, of Warmers
Falls! Whit rapturep'
''But what could l write a story
about?' said l, ignoring her little rehec-
ton on my veracity at times.
''Write love story. Everybody likes
them, she answered.
''But I've never had a love affair, and
never can have" added, mournfully,
''for there ism man in my town that
I'd look at for lover, and you know
Pve got to stay at hone while the other
girls take their turn away at school. 1
knC " it's predestinated that shall be
an old maid, but | don't like the out
lock, . said |, telling a literal truth for
once at least.
"'Tisn't Of the least consequence, -"
Madge said, encouragingly. People
never need to know about the subjects
they write about. Why, all the books
about the management of children are
written by old maids; and do you sup
pose that the people who write about
Lord This and Lady That eve. saw real
lord, even with an glass;"
81 don't know" said | with simple
ity.
"Why, of course not" she ratified 81 :;
are made up by men who have never
been outside of Coney Island. Indeed,
the less you really know about a subject
the better off you are, you see, because
you're not hampered by facts and your
imagination can have full scope"
I'm afraid 1 couldn't succeed that
way" said, muslngly.
''ln iced you could, she still asserted
''Last year my cousin, Joe Schuyler,
who always has Ii ed in New York and
was just graduated at Columbia-uot
even a country college, like Harvard
took charge of the agricultural depart
ment OF city paper while the regular
editor went to Europe for three months.
and be got along finely. He just hunted
over the rural exchanges and re wrote
their articles, using little different
wording, that was ALL"
Didn't lie make any blunders?" I
asked.
''No, not in the paper" she said;
''but he did get into bit of scrape,
for farmer wrote him asking for some
explicit directions for using a new
remedy for pip in chickens, and as Joe
is full of fun, he wrote the farmer a
private letter sending him prescription
about like this:
Stumpus woodus, regular size.
Hatchetus, one application.
Shake we'll before using
This is an absolute and instantaneous cure
So the farmer drove off five miles to
the nearest town, to the drug store,
where the clerk assured him he'd been
tri1ed with and that it was ell a Joke.
That enraged the farmer and he took it