River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-04-07

philosophically, Il should not weep or
moan because one objected to the col
or, another TO the quality. and third
to the price. / myself should know
that was selling good calico at a fair
price, and / am equally cOnfid ent that
am offering a good story for sale at
regular rates-which means the buy
er's own price-so no tears, if you
please, Miss Mary. because your wares
don't happen to SELL
went now to a household journal of
large circulation. and here | think l
spent the weariest and dreariest time
of my whole existence. Locked into a
desk with dozens of others awaiting a
tardy examination, l spent whole
year of suspense and anxiety.
There is some satisfaction in flying
about-One sees the world, at all
events-but TO await ones fate in
dreary, voiceless silence is most exas-
perating.
There, Another letter from that
tiresOme woman, inquiring about her
precious MS" said the editor of the
great household magazine" fretfully.
as he tumbled me out upon his desk.
- 4
Why can't women write something be-
sides love stories, l wonder"
He glanced me over carelessly.
Yes, yes. just as / expected. An
| gelina and Adolphus get married, and
their earthly career is ended Well,
/ Miss Mary Bobolink, you're welcome
to your story. don't want it,"
could scarcely wait to get back,
was so anxious to know how they
Jared in my home, and l perceived at
once that ] had come in an inoppor-
tune time, when my author took me
out with a trembling hand.
Her eyes were heavy with much
weeping, and she laid me down with a
sigh
only returned MS" she said.
sadly. land how poor fathers funeral
expen ses are going to be paid cannot
/ see"
/ went upon a weary round after
this-back and fOrth-hither and
thither, and as my authors name was
beginning to become known, editors
read me with more of attention, and,
as a special mark of favor, returned me
with a criticism.
One said / was too long. movement
not rapid enough. and incident too
much spread out Another that
needed more careful elaboration
movement too rapid and not enough OF
analysis and close attention to details
Still another. that my subject matter
was too unreal-nOt natural enough.
and too evidently written TO pander to
a demand for the strange and impossi-
BILE.
A fourth that there was too much OF
a sameness in my subject matter =
nothing striking-shouldb be condensed
to at most One-third of its present
length.
At the fifth and last criticism. that il
my author expected to succeed she
must draw her topics from nature,
take real incidents with which to
touch the great heart of the reading
public" Miss Mary quite broke down.
Having ears they near not, and
having eyes they see not" she sobbed.
How can touch the great heart OF
the public If editors persist in standing
between it and me. and the very
articles which are drawn from real life
are those which come back most FIRE.
quently, and branded as unreal, forced
and imaginary"
She tossed me into a drawer. 'Lie
there. good friend" she said, sadly.
You have done all you could for me,
and / have but one postage stamp in
the world and that IS too precious to
waste upon forlOrn hope"
lay there for five years, often see
ing the face of my author. now sad,
now gay and bright with triumph and
success. but my rest was not disturbed
until one day when an urgent letter
came from well-known editor, the
very person to whom had gone in the
/ first of my career, and who had since
been promoted from the position OF
reader to that of editor in chief
I'VE will be glad to publish some.
/ thing from your pen," he wrote, land
anything you send us will receive a
/ cordial welcome"
Her eyes twinkled as she opened the
drawer where l lay. Come out, my
friend. the day of your triumph is al
hand" she said, smillingly.
She read me over carefully and criti-
cally. You were always a favorite
with me. and l like you better still
after all these years | find some OF
the freshness and enthusiasm of my
youth here" she said to a gentleman
who sat near.
But hasn't that story been rejected
at that office? / think you told me its
history once" he replied.
Eyes. and there is the fun in it.
dare say il was never examined be-
yOnd the first page. and that by the
first reader into whose hands it fell.
oh, am safe enough in sending it,
assure you, my dear"
fairly trembled with mischievous
glee as found myself again in the
familiar presence of the editor. His
looks were whitening; and he had
| donned glasses since left, but other
wise he was the same. His memory of
me was not so vivid. however, and he
read me through with a chuckle of
satisfaction. and without the faintest
symptom of recognition, jolting down
this editorial notice for the issue in
which l was to appear:
We present our readers this month with a
story from the pen OF the gifted and famous
author. Miss Mary BobolinlS, now Mrs Mar.
lowe. II is a tale OF rare beauty its delicate
touches Of nature reaching out with an unerring
grasp toward the heartstrings OF its readers
IL has always been our aim 70 Gull the very best
from the fields OF literature, and in this
instance We think our readers viii agree that
We have succeeded"
''Ha, Hai Ha!'' laughed Mr.. Mar
lowe, as he sat by his wife's desk in
her study. Two hundred dollars
it'll note OF thanks thrown in from
a Magazine for a story which had once
been rejected there You did rather
get the best of that Office, Mary"
Nothing succeeds like success"
Mrs Marlowe replied. with a smile,
but she does not know TO this day that
he who rejected and accepted her Ms.
is one and the same person Mrs. L.
NJ Howard. in Journalist
PremOnitiOn.
Speaking of cunning men he had
done business with. an insurance man
Of this city said: Il came across one
interesting case in my life. Ii was a
brOken-dOwn country merchant whose
store and stock I insured When began
business, aud l guess l made a serious
mistake. for the company l had him
written in soon afterward was Obliged
10 pay a total loss by fire. Some time
after the settlement learned that the