The Bossier banner., 1891-09-03

SURFING piece OF American fiction. and
neither doubted but that it would
create great sensation. It was de-
clded that l should carry out the de-
scription and Phil the dialogue. the
plot having been agreed on; and then
both having written on note paper in
order to minimize the necessary copy-
ing of broken pages, the two parts were
to be dovetailed together into a per-
feet whole.
Nearly month passed and both of
us had been able to snatch consider
able time from our not very pressing
law practice and devote it to the story.
Then Phil, who was to make the first
attempt to join the two portions, wrote
me that it was time to send him nv
portion of the romance.
did so and was surprised day or
two later to receive the following let
| ter:
RAMONA, Aug. 80. 18s9
MY DEAR FRANK-I received the package of
| MS. and have been busy combining it with
mine They match pretty fairly, and, think,
| will make strong team.
! lind one place, however, where you have so
| to speak, slipped a cog. In the thirtieth a page
| is missing. Gustave LeMoyne has thrown him.
| self on his knees before Beatrice and you start
him off all right with: Darling you know you
| have" and the next sheet says: What is to
| be my answerY'-but Beatrice had fed like
| frightened fawn, etc
| You seem to have missed the speech entirely.
| This is about the only bit Of dialogue you have
| attempted, and want it to stand. Please send
the omitted leaf tomorrow.
Our book will be a success. never fear have
little doubt but that it is to prove the great
| American novel 1t certainly will have all the
elements of that to be famous work.
Yours fraternally, PHILIP HoUGH.
| | remembered the omitted passage
we'll 1 had intended to make it ex-
ceedingly impressive, and believed
that it would prove the climax of the
book With a view of perfecting it,
had carried the leaf on which it was
written in my pocket for week, and
had neglected to place it with its fell
lows. Now would make clean copy
and send it on.
But before doing so, opened the re-
mainder of the mornings mail Among
the letters was one from my brother
Thomas.
Dear Frank" it said, ''do you re-
member that Christmas number of the
Crescent magazine that contained the
late DR. Reeds poem? [ loaned it to
you and now | am anxious to have it.
The publishers say the magazine is out
of print Please get it, and let me have
it at once"
| remembered where it was. l, in
turn, had loaned it to Ollie Berne, and
10 1,O l,7t 10
to her and ask for the pamphlet. dis
liked to do so, but there seemed to be
no other way.
But then, when l came to think it
over it was grand excuse for opening
a correspondence with the one l loved
SO fondly, and whom I now realized
was so dear to me.
So turned to my desk and wrote
two letters-one to Ollie and one to
Phil The former was composed OF
three Sheets written on one side; the
latter of the missing page, and an ex-
planatory note. 1t was only by hur-
rying that was able to deposit them
in the post office before the mail closed.
/, l did not wish to wait an instant
longer than necessary, and the sequel
convinced me that the fates were IN
league with my actions.
Though did not know it at the time,
two interesting scenes transpired TWEEN
) ty-four hours later. One was in my
) friend and collaborators Phil Hough's
law Office, and the other in the boudoil
of Miss Ollivette Berne, Cincinnati
Ohio.
The first showed my esteemed part
ner handling bulky mass of MS. Al
last he takes out few leaves, slips be
tween two of them a third abstracted
) from an envelope, and reads:
''Gustave threw himself at the fee
of Beatrice, and exclaimed: Darling
you have in your possession a maga
zine which loaned you three months
ago. 1t contains poem by the late
DR.. Reed, and my brother has writer
me for it. Could you not manage tC
send it to me by mail tomorrow?
am very sorry to trouble you, but you
see am under an obligation to do so.
"'What is my answer?'
!. ''But Beatrice had fed like frighteC
fawn through the shrubbery.
Puzzled and annoyed by the non
sense, the lawyer throws the manu-
script on the floor and emits not very
complimentary remark concerning my
self
The other scene is less disturbing
Ollie holds letter postmarked Elmo
: in her hand, and with a shake of th'
envelope opens it. She recognizes tn
name of her former admirer, and will
eager eyes scans the first page:
''ELMo, Aug 81
"DEAR FRIEND OLLIE:-You will no doubt b
surprised to hear from me, for it has bee
: some time since you left US for the pleasures G
life in a great city. But have good excus
for writing since"
The leaf is slipped behind, and tn
5 flush that has tinged her face deepen
as she reads the next:
my heart is in your keeping. Since the da
we first met have loved you, devotedly, pa;
1 sionately, tenderly. Eternal and unchanged a
| the everlasting rocks is my love, and Deliev
that you return it. Do you not? Give me a sy
liable Of hope. Tell me that you will be my wife
: and that soon. II you do not my life will
one sad waste OF dreariness.
n A-z4la-. Iaof SC 4,oncrocad and Sb