The morning call., 1893-03-26
THE UNAVAILABLE.
Regretful Editors and
Their Polite Notes.
A CHECK THAT NEVER CAME.
The History of One Manuscript That
Should Be an Awful Warning to
Ambitious ScribbIers.
A CHECK THAT NEVER CAME.

ANSAFb bIF FdiuINt iSEtoolb4 VI X
unavailable manuscripts in a given
period-say In a day or a year is only
equaled by the number of times per day or
per year that the aforesaid regret" is
superinduced to every editor in tine land
by the hereinbefore mentioned painful
necessity.
And when the editor of The CALL was
asked concerning the availability" of an
article treating of the different ways in
which the different editors are afflicted with
regret" in returning unavailable manu-
script he glanced wearily at huge pile of
manuscript before him. ana in pathetic
accents said such an article would perhaps
tend to encourage the already overweening
boldness of the amateur scribbers.
He snake no more in words. but his eyes
said with an eloQuence unmistakable: And
Increase my laoors."
"Oa the contrary, if written in the proper
vein, ii ought to be terrible warning to
the scribblerS," he was hastily assured.
He sighed doubtiDgly, but the article was
commenced.
VIII it be "available?"
Or viii it add one more to the causes of
editorial regret?"
Horrible doubt, be down. Quailing heart,
be brave. What II the work be for naught,
and n neat little unavailable" card with
the everlasting regret" upon it finally ac-
company the effort, with the stamps for
RETURN" via the postman, to your front
door, In after ages?
What though it be put at the bottom of
that huge pile ON the editors table and re-
main there till it rises to the top by slow
degrees, and by yet slower degrees is read
and passed upon by the editorP
Would it be the first, or the second?
Would it be the twentieth? Nay, nor hun
dredth. Be brave, then! Remember the
oiden days; the days of hope aud youth
when the stamps for return" accom-
panied the typewriter manuscript sub
mtted to Once a Week.
Remember how patiently you waited for
the check that never came; how eagerly
you scanned each week issue of that Jour
nal; how bravey you stood the shock of
the thick envelope that one day came from
New York. You knew it contained no
check, for one can feel ths difference be-
tween checks and returned manuscript
when the latter is your own product.
Aud remember the fortitude with which
you read this charming little printed note
printed especially for you-from the editor
OF Once 4 Week:
We regret that We are compelled TO decline
the manuscript you kindly submitted to US for
examination.
The return Of manuscript does not necessarily
imDiy lack OF merit or unitness for publication
For various !easOns a manuscript may not be
adapted to once Week, aud yet meet with ac-
ceptauce elsewhere.
We regard 1t as favor TO be allowed to ex-
anime manuscripts. whether they prove accept
able or not.
You Will please excuse the absence OF detailed
criIieiSmt as IAe enormous number OF manu-
scripts submitted 10 Us renders this Impossible.
NUGENT ROBINSON, Editor.
1t was soothing, if dolefu. Ofcourse Mr..
Robinson was man of discernment. He
had read your manuscript carefully, found
1t an excellent thing, but not quite suited
to the wants of his paper.
Undoubtedly il will ''yet meet with ac-
ceptance elsewhere" How stupid you were
To make the mistake of sending it TO jour
nal so unsuitable to the trend of the manu-
script. A monthly paper like The Argosy
would no doubt be glad 10 obtain just such
an article.
And so you wrote a new note to accom-
pany your manuscript on its new eTrand
and you lnclosed four more stamps for pos
sblr return.
OF course it wouldn't be returned, but
then what are four stamps in comparison to
the fat check sure to be returned in their
stead?
And you waited again, and when the an
swer came your heart sank for a moment,
for the letter was thick and heavy and
those four stamps were on the envelope.
WIKI the thanks OF The Argosy.
This was the message inside Fearfully
brief. What did it mean? Thanks for
what?
DIb bdSS over LNdL disappointment III
did not last long. Soon hope returned again
and of went that manuscript with more
stamps for reurn-for possible return.
You remember the answer. The editors
regretted" that they were compelled" ."
1t was very pleasant little note, printed in
brown ink on white linen paper. 1t read:
We regret that we are compelled to decline the
manuscript you kindly submitted 10 us for exam
inatiOn.
For variOus reasons a manuscript may not be
ADAPTED TO The Youths Companion. and yet meet
with acceptance elsewhere. We sometimes ac-
cept manuscripts declined By Other publications,
and Often hEG HAT those we have declined ATE
accepted by other periodicals. The return OF "a
manuscript. eieiOre, does not necessarily imply
laes Of merit or unhiness for publication.
w esteem 4 favor 10 be allowed 10 examine
manuscripts, whether they prove acceptable or
not.
Please excuse The absence OF speeifc criticism.
which Is lendeIe co impossible by the great mum.
Der of manuscripts submitted 10 u.s.
Thanking you for your courtesy. We ale very
truly yours, THE EDITORS.
And so the editors of the YOUTHS Com
panion esteemed it a favor to be permitted
to examine manuscripts"
Well, perhaps some other editor would
like to be favored in the same way. You
were little sarcastic this time, II you re-
member, but hopeful, ever hopeful, and
soon the mail trains were carrying your
brain baby off to the Frank Leslie's Pub
fishing House.
You were not very certain about the re-
turn check this time, and not greatly sur
prlsed when in its stead came the manu-
script and the following brief printed note
We regret that the lnclOsed MS Is not lust
suitable for any Of Mrs. Frank Leslie's pubiica-
iions. IL Is accordingly reuIned to you here
with. Please accent our thanks for your courtesy
In submitting II. Yours respectfully,
The EDITORS.
And The editor of the Philadelphia Times
your old home paper, that you still sub
scrlbed for His note was likewise brief,
but he had regrets" That was some
thing. Its diction was pointed and clear.
though, bout Ike this:
he editor Of the Times regrets that he cannot
make use Of the inclOsed Ms, which Is returned
with thanks.
Then-do you recall it?-an appreciatfve
friend suggested the Century Magazine Its
editors were men Of rare discernment.
They would be sure to see the worth of
your manuscript. And besides, your article
seemed peculiarly adapted TO the wants of
such widely read periodicals.
OF course, you ought to have thought of
tie Century before. But it came back, even
from the Century, and an elegantly printed
note, in Roman italic caps, on pale blue laid
paper. came with it. The note contained a
regret, and il read:
We regret that the offered manuscript has not
been found available for the magazine.
So many considerations enter into the question
OF "ayailabiliiy"-Such as the previous accent
anee OF somewhat similar material; or a super
account Of the editors present plans-that the
return OF manuscript does not Imply that II
was thought deficient from a literary point of
view.
With thanks for your courtesy we are, very
truly yours, EDITOR CENTURY MAGAZINE.
Did that discourage you? A thousand
times no. On the contrary, its polite and
considerate tone was rather an encourage
ment You bought another hundred two
cent stamps, and used the first four Of them
on letter addressed to Beford's Monthly
The inclosed manuscript is unavailable for
publication In Belfofd's Monthly, and is here
with returned with thanks for your Kindness In
submitting II. Yours truly.
BELFoRD AND COMPANY.
This said the editor of Balford's. Well,
there were other editors and other publca-
ti0Ds. Surely it would find lodgment
with some of them. Suppose Saturday
Night should be inflicted with the manu-
script. This was done.
Do you recal the one singular thing about
Mr.. Elyerson's ''unaswerabIe" note. 1t
was written instead of printed and con-
tanned no mention of ''repret" IL simplv