Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-05-22
REJECTED AND ACCEPTED
Why 0 Stenographer Lost Faith in
 the Worlds Honesty.

the Worlds Honesty.
 The rise of Reginald Flipp had been something phenomenal No man was more sought after by publishers and .he editors of magazines. Mr. Flipp had been somewhat prolific at the be- ginning, but now that he could get practically any price he asked for his MSS, he became more careful. It was moro and more difficult for magazine to get a story by this now celebrated author.
 Ono day there came to his room a man whom the world apparently had not used generously.
 Il have come," said he to Mr. Flipp, ito sec you without any letter of intro duction, or without any preliminary an nouncemont l was afraid to let you know intended to come, as so busy a man as you might well have refused to sec a stranger"
 'I am not Q busy man." said Mir. Flipp. '''I doubt if anyone in the town has more leisure than I. Sit down. What can do for for you?"
 "My name," said the stranger, ''is Crosby. am shorthand writer and l want to WOrK TOT you.
 My dear sir" replied Flipp, II have no use for shorthand writer. I have never dictated in my life, and doubt if could. Everything I write do with my own hand. I do not even use a type writer"
 'I do," said Crosby. 'I have type writer at home, and if you will try die tation for awhile it will occupy but little of your time and you may find it extremely useful If, on the other hand, you conclude that it is of no ad- vantage to you, no harm will be done"
 II know, before we begin," said Flipp, "that 1t wouldn't work. ] am sure of that"
 "IIow can you be sure," asked Cros- by, "about something you have never tried? Let me ask you a question: Have you ever forgotten any good idea that you ever had?"
 Hundreds of thcm," answered Flipp.
 "Then does not that strike you as tremepdous waste of brain power? Have you never felt annoyed to think that some good idea that had occurred to you had slipped into oblivion?"
 Flipp, who had been walking up and down the room with some impatience, stopped and looked at his visitor
 "I presume" he said at last, "cvery- body has had that annoying experience. The fish that gets away is always bigger than those we catch
 "Precisely," answered Crosby. "Thcn why let them get away? You are a young man now, but there will come Q time when you will regret the waste that probably now seems trivial"
 What salary do you want?" asked the writer abruptly.
 "I don't want any salary" replied Crosby. II shall be very pleased to give you an hour a day for nothing. At least," he said, seeing Flipp wave his hand impatiently, ''until you find whether or not the proposal is of value to you. Once down on paper an idea is fixed, and forever under your control. Merely floating on your brain it may sink and never rise to the surface again."
 ''Thcrc is something in that" said Flipp mcditativcly.a At least it will was thinking of q story that ought to work out reasonably well, Have you your notebook with you?"
 NfOSDy prOuucc(t It.
 Flipp walked up and down the room for a few moments in silence.
 Suppose we head it" he said, "'Thc Parting of the Ways"
 Crosby was evidently an expert short hand writer, for when Flipp became in- tcrcstcd in the story he talked very rap idly, but Crosby, without apparent haste, noted it all down, never once checking the speaker.
 '"Thcrc," said Flipp, when he had finished, "what do you think of that story?"
 "Really," said Crosby, q cannot tell you. have not heard it.' . Not heard itv' exclaimed the novel, ist. "IIave not just dictated it to you?"
 "You have dictated it." said Crosby, "to a machine. 1 shall give you my opinion upon it when I have read the typewrittcn MS. That is," he added, Eff you care for the opinion of a mo- body. When shall call again?"
 "Oh, I am in no hurry" said Flipp.
 "This hour tomorrow"
 ''Yes, if that suits your convenience" ."
 The stranger snapped the elastic band around his notebook, put the cap upon the stylographic pen, and, without a word, departed.
 ''le is queer fish," said the writer to himself when his visitor had gone ''I don't more than half like the looks of him."
 Next day the stenographer called at the same hour, and placed before the novelist ten pages of typewriter MS. headed, ,"The Parting of the Ways"
 ''It is one of the best stories you have yet written," said Crosby, eff you want my opinion"
 Reginald laughed. "If you were after large salary that would be the kind of remark one might expect you to make"
 II am not after salary at all," an swered Crosby. "You asked my opin- ion, and I give it. It may be worth less."
 "Which-the opinion or the story?"