The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-26
FLIGHT OF COMIC ROVER
HE RATELy or a REJEc I'D
MAHUSCRIP
II was Rsturned Fifteen Times--On the
sixteenth TRIAL lie Was Accepted
Points to Literary Novicss.

had asked him whether 1t really was az
hard to place signed matter as the squiDs
in the humorous papers would lead one
to believe.
MY dear fellow" said he. Il can do DO
more than hazard guess as TO the proba-
BILE reception Of an article OF mine, even
now that | am comparatively we'll known.
Actors are VIGOROUSLY poor judges "
the merits of an Enacted play. or to be
more exact, they cannot gauge In advance
what will hit the popular fancy. SO. OF
my writing, 1 cannot tell In advance what
will please the editors whims. and ]
have reason TO believe that l am not alone.
| read some verses i'm a newspaper the
other day that / thought very much 20
the point. They were written by some
poor devil OF whom 1 never heard. but
they are full of truth. Here they are.'
said he reading them from clipping;
I wrote some verses which l fondly
thought
My best endeavor,
And yet they never
Could find a purchaser. tho oft / sought.
" j scrubbed then, some careless. foolish
rhymes
When first L mailed them
They quickly nailed them.
And sent me back generous check be-
times.
80 you think it's all a lottery" said ].
lie replied sententiousiy, There's u
place for everything was Lrst said by u
lucky scribbler who had never had any
thing rejected IL rests with the author To
find the place. and the successful author
IS really the man with the best Judgment
and not necessarily the most facile pen.
There's many poem that would be q
reputation maker II it could be sent TO
the right magazine. to paraphrase the
words of 'Eiegy Gray and l dare say
that the coming American story is to-day
going the rounds OF rejection"
Il suppose you've had some curious ex-
pericnces yourselfy' l said.
Yes" he replied rising and taking
down scrap book labeled IAN Expo
sition of Vanity" in which he had pasted
away the many stories. sketches ard
squibs that have appeared over his name
from time Ia time I'm the different ma,,a-
zines and humorous papers.
He opened IL TO the middle and showad
me page on which were pasted some
remarkably clever verses in imitation &c
the styles of different poets. over them
he had printed In illuminated text.
Where the dove made her nest" The
publication I'm which they had appeared
holds high rank. Said he: Il wrote that
set or verses some years since. and be-
lieving that It had merit, 1 sent II forth
one cold December day 10 a magazine In
New York l was living In Brooklyn at
the time. On another December day-stili
cold-lt came back. With scarcely per-
cepuble sneer on my lips. | rapidly sent
the MS. out again like Noah's dove, this
time also TO New York. IL still found no
place TO alight. and by the new year IL
was perching on the taffrail OF the ark
once more. New York is large city;
surely you can find shelter there and I
let IL fly for the third time. BY st Val
entine's day II had made five trips TO tho
metropolis, always returning without ac-
cident and once bringing back an olive
twig I'm the shape Of "A commendatory let
ter from an editor with a glmmering OF
horse sense but without the courage Of
his convictions. The baby sneer that
had at first lowered around my lips now
settled down upon them and waxed
stronger from day 10 day.
Thinking that a change OF mir would
do my little flyer good ' bundled II or
10 San Francisco. My faith In II, which
had Increased with each rejection. was
now at fever heat. Schubert had peddled
the Err King for many weary day be-
fore he could find n publisher, and al
though | didn't consider my verses a
literary Fri Kink.' still a swallow NAV
follow In The wing Prints OF an eagle II
IT choose"
For two weeks I pictured 10 myself
the whole Pacific coast laughing at the
humor Of the skit. and then | concluded
that their laughter would be caused NJ
second hand. II at all. for my dove came
back from It's 5000 mile flight stlll fancy
free.
Thoroughly warmed by It's fortnight in
mailbag, to change the metaphor.
felt that / could venture 10 expose
my bird OF passage to the biting winds Of
New York IN March. period OF recu-
peration followed In the quiet City OF
Brotherly Love, whence It returned on
the Pennsylvania express.
1.-THE home Of Whittier, OF Iongfeliow
Of the Goldfish Of the gilded dome would
surely welcome my little wanderer. but
although IL made two trips 10 Boston
In the spring Of the year. when the hearts
Of editors are presumably softened. II
came YEARLY back 10 encounter my now
thoroughly cultivated and bitter sheer"
"Why not try New York;" asked.
II did. and after that trln [ sent Il
again to San Francisco, saying, II they
won't keep you, stay Of your own ac-
cord, for I'm tired Of you But mad
vertently enclosed a stamped and address
ed envelope and so in fortnight like
a cat that had been taken away 10 BE-
lost. my Ms. came to my gate for the
fifteenth time
II had room for one line more on tho
page set apart for the Obligations of
this piece Of verse making and dis
patched the Wandering Jew OF verse
for the last time, sending n TO New York.
For a week / heard nothing. and then
the postman came with letter addressed
20 me in my own handwriting. and which
/ recognized as being my rover. But,
alas, 7 was destined never again TO SEQ
my Ms. When ! opened the envelope,
found that II contained nothing but an
acceptance Of my verse. together with
a generous check from one OF the lead
ing periodicals Of New York paper
that I had considered my stun TO be UNI
suited to Just think how much time.
postage and good feeling I might have
saved IL / had sent IL to the right place
first"
"And your sneer7" 7 yentured.
my dear boy. am a hardened cynic
now. Have another cigar"
CHARLES BATTELL LOOMS.