Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-05


by answearing there tiresome sheets by return
mail, Us, undoubtedly, you were prompted TO
do. lnknowingly make the experiment.
How would You advise young of
literary bent. and possessing keen sense for
that which IS unusual or humorous? How
shall lie find the market without money or in
fuenCc2 Is humorous writing remuuerative?
Can you cite instance in regard to your
gaining literary notorietyT
Please don't dispair at this. II is NEARLY the
| introduction OF what bore can do. Possibly
|, too, shall be eminent some day. and in lieu
of this great impossibiity will close as the OPP
portun ty presents. Please comply Very sin
cerely. =
The above letter is written by a Dung
man who needs information about as
severely as any one with whom | have
ever met up. | put three asterisks in
place Of his name in order to shield his
family This is only specimen of one
kind Of correspondent out of list of
great many hundreds pause to Won
der where they all come from
Passing over the first paragraph
which is kind. fattering and fulsome
| let US come at once to what Mr.. Aster-
| isk-Mr. Jack Asterisk, If you please
really wants to know.
In the first place, do, as often and as
lucidly and pellucidly as | can with
what few talents | may embrace, an
swer the inquirers who have something
to inquire for, if am able to supply the
| informa ton. First then. Jack, YOU
| should know what you want to inquire
for, and, secondly, you should know how
to spell t. Then any one would be glad
to drop he information into your recep-
tacle
| Undoubtedly
Now comes the query, How would
you advise young man Of a literary
bent and possessing keen sense for that
which is unusual or humorous"
| would advise such an one to avail
himself Of it and enjoy it Few people
are blest with a keen sense of the I'M
usual It should be fostered.
You ask next, How shall he find the
market without money or influence!'
He will naturally have great difficulty.
| The market for keen sense Of the I'M
usual was never more panicky than it is
now. W thOut money or Influence you
will have quite long search before you
will get your price. To tell you the
honest and never dying truth. Asterisk.
there is no market for keen sense for
the unusual or humorous 1t is a good
thing to have, for your life will be longer
and sweerer for having it Don't mar
ket it at al, any more than you would
market your keen relish for what is good
or beautiful You doubtless want to
find market, not for your keen sense
Of the unusual, but for your ability to
describe such things in an entertaining
way, and you cannot deliver the goods
at present, fear.
Learn first to write good English.
Write at a mark for eight or nine years
and let up on busy people, if you please.
| once knew a young man who decided
to go to New York and to try to get a
job on the metropolitan press He had
practiced On country paper for sew
eral years, and had received a cyclope-
dia and reversible wall map as re-
ward for his genius and toll So he said
to himself Il Will 20 to New York.
This life is killing me. 1t is time to call
a halt" He did not take a trunk be-
cause he sad it would only be a burden
was bringing out all the hidden fra
GRANGE that century has concealed be-
tween the heated paving stones of News
paper row, he found the door which led
into the inhospitable dwelling of the
great newspaper upon which he had de-
cided to bestow himself.
Everybody about him looked SO cool
and superior that he hated himself be-
cause he perspired so, and he knew that
even the elevator boy looked down on
him He felt homesick, and when he
took out his handkerchief to wipe his
brow he accidentally pulled out little
red pincushion that his sister gave him
when he started for town 1t sInote ca
his heart very heavily, Mr.. Asterisk, ard
he compared the welcome he generally
got at home with the chilly glare he got
when he came to town.
When he mustered the courage, he
took deep breath and stepped into the
elevator; the elevator boy pushed him
back and asked him whom he desired to
| roo Then il came over him that he did