Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-12-09
The Tribune Presents Its Readers
With Material for an Elk
cellent Story,
Which May be Changed and EN-
bellished to Suit All the
Readers.
And a Great, Large Fortune Be
Reaped by Some Talented
Person.
The Newly Modelled Christmas Story.

1t is almost time for the struggling
author to begin his task of writing
Christmas stories. Christmas brings
forth stories of all kinds. There are
stories for young folks-wonderful rela-
tions of Kriss Kringle, of loaded packs
and gifts innumerable. Then there are
tales for the old-of awakened memories
and of saddening recollections of the
past. And last of all there is the love
story, which is turned and twisted from
the ordinary until it Is made to fit the
occasion.
There Is a vein of similarity which
runs through stories which are made
especially for this occasion. And it may
not be out of place to present a sort of
skeleton plot for a Christmas story,
which may BE- seized upon with avidity
by the aforesaid struggling authors, and
made the foundation of many pretty
little tales:
TX
Chapter l should describe a richly
furnished parlor, with two occupants.
One of these should be an old man with
silvery hair and furrowed brow. His
shoulders might be stopped a little if
desired, although this is left to the taste
of the author. The hair and brow, how
ever, must conform to the above descrip-
ton or the story will be n. g. By dilat-
ing upon this u little the old man might
be made use of to the extent of a quarter
of a column or more.
The other occupant of the room must
be a young man, with beaming eye and
elastic step, the son of the old man. If
the author desires to follow the general
rule he may say that the young man has
a d%issipated look upon his face, although
this is not absolutely necessary. Still,
it would be better to use the expression
as it sounds we'll, and may make people
think more of the son. He is supposed
to be the scion of q noble race. Many
people may not know what scion means,
but that is of no consequence.
The old man and the son are supposed
to be heatedly angry. The son wants to
marry an actress or a dishwasher or a
barmaid-the author may use anyone of
these characters-and the father, of
course, objects. Then a conversation
like the following will ensue. The
father, it must be remembered, always
Kisses things through his set teeth.
People, generally, like to read about
other persons who hiss things through
their set teeth, because it sounds
dramatic. The son, for the same reason,
should swear all of his statements, and
say "by the high heavens above" as often
as possible. 1t makes the conversation
more interesting.
Father-Then, my son, you persist in
this madness?
SOM do. I love her. She is pure
as an angel, and I shall marry her.
~Father-Then, my son, I shall curse
you, and disown you. Out of my sight,
unflial child. Begone.
Son-Father, I go. May you never
regret what you have done.
The son then makes his hurried exit.
or course, he bangs the door after him.
The author should not forget to have
him bang the door. Otherwise the
whole force of the story might be lost.
~
The second chapter should begin, 1T
was Christmas eve." This may at first
seem a little tame to the author, but
people will never notice it. The same
richly furnished parlor as in the first
chapter may be used for this. By a
little judicious cutting out and FASTING,
the author might work in a lot of his
first chapter over again. The occu-
pants of the richly furnished parlor this
time should be the old man of the first
chapter and his wife. The prodigal son
is now supposed to have been absent
about six months, and the stern father
has begun to feel a little lonesome. It
might not be out of place to introduce
a few tears into this chapter. The
mother should be crying softly. This is
proper form, as vulgarly loud weeping
would spoil the whole effect of the
scene. They should have a converse.
ton, somewhat Is appears below. This
time the cid man should agroan with
remorse." People in stories always
groan with remorse. It sounds we'll.
Father wonder where our son is
to night?
Mother-Would he were here.
Father-I am bitterly sorry. I shall
60 out upon the street, and walk in the
cool night air. This is killing me.
The antbor should now twist things
around so that the son should have be-
come sick, poor and almost starving.
This is necessary, and the object will be
revealed later o The father should
rush down Seventh street, through the
| drifted snow. People ALWAYS rush