The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-05-18

Il declare, Come t. think Of it. she
was exactly like our Nida-looEed like
ner, talked like her. thought like her.
acted Ike her, and had the same
sweet, helpful. generous disposition.
combined with an idcaiizIng and poet
zeal way Of looking II things II Nou
can only make a vivid characteristic
picture Of Vida, You viii equal or sur
pass the authors delineation OF his
heroine
Hush whispered Mrs Dewey
Vida i IN tine dining-room setting the
table for breakfast
What of it," demanded Mr.. Dewey
she ought IL be thankful To get into
hterature-eSpecially under the auspices
of two a. brilliant writers as viii toe
represented in An in a Nntshell.' ''
And ne nudged his wife slylv The
fact Il, Mr. Dewey had such IN bounded
confidence in his better half that II
she had announced her intention of re
Juvenating the moon. he would have
JOY fully and unhesitatingly iudorsed
her ability To do 50. Th,. scheme of re
producing ''AH IN Nutshell. 90 even
verbatim et literatim lor practically
sol already began to look entirely
feasible, and Mr. Dewey's spirits rose
accordinrly-
Sweet little Vida Dewey, She was en-
tireiy unconscious Of being put into a
story; and yet she wondered sometimes.
during those DAYS an which her aunt
was aEouizing over the reincsarrlatiou
OF Mr. --'s heroine, why the keen
gray eyes followed her every n. .ovement
80 closely, and why for hours Mrs
Dewey would keep her talking bout a
thousand romantic things which had
never before been discussed between
them.
At length the story was completed.
and one evening, when Vida had gone
to singing school, Mrs Dewey read it.
with palpiiating eagerness. 10 her hus-
band
Jane cried Mr.. Dewey. when his
wife's voice had died tremusouslv away
upon the last syllable Of the reproau.-
ton, your woman's intuition has made
you absolutely ciarvoyant, Why. You
have reproduced the story 50 faithfully
that ! could have said. did not know
the circumstances, that You had fouud
and We're reading The original manu-
script MIR Dewey was - elared. 80
rejoieed. that he took hiS vie in his
arms and hugEed her; an impulsive ac-
ton which called mp "Reminiscences
that were enough IN themselves To com
pensate her for all the pangs OF author
ship
II was daring thing To do-perhaps
not altogeth er ethically eEeusable. hut
Payson Dewey, instead of sending the
reproduction Ia the author Of '-An In
Nutshell" " reported favorablv upon the
story To the assistant editor Of the Mid
land, who in the absence OF his chief
upon summer vacation trip, rad the
manuscript-ne To- him-lilled IL also.
and passed 1t on To he put in type. Then
the perdJious Mr. Dewey wrote TO the
author that his lost manuscript had
been discovered. accepted, and would
appear IN due time IN the Midland
Magazine
1t was November before the story ap-
peared- 4 he author read IL, as he
habitually read his own productions,
with entire satisfaction aud degree
OF pleasure quite consonant with an
after-dinner cigar
Indeed, ''An in a Nutshell proved
TO be more gratifying To him than he
had expected. Marion IL cxquisitely
sketched.- he said To himself Il knew
while l was writing the story that
without distinct purpose. perhaps
was painting my ideal OF maidenhood-
the girl l should like to marry. If l
could ever find her Cad" he ex-
claimed, running down the page. what
touch that is 1t really doesn't seem
possible that / could have put IL quite
SO neatly and TO the manner born
with my merely theoretical knowledge
of women"
second reading of the story plunged
the famous young man into a still
more sieptical admiration of himself
What lucky thing il was that the
man Dewey persevered until ne found
the lost manuscript" he cried. This
Is really the best thing ever did-this
picture of Marion. Confound II. thought
did I do it? l couldn't have known
some OF these things about girls unless
/ dreamed them. However, IN settle
it IN find that first draft, If its under
this roof l am bound u know wheth-
er 1 really do know what l seem To
know about " omen OF not''
About a week after the appearance
of '.Ail in a Nutshell in the Midland
Magazine, Payson Dewey received this
note from the author Of ''All IN Nut
shell":
Ny DEAR Mr. DEWEY have found the
original draft OF ''All IA a Nutshell and h1lg-
in- compared II with The story il apIs-ars
the November Midiani, ind that tHv
semhle each other about as closely = paper
snoUstorn N ihe-lter resembles EuI,r-su-s
immortal picture of q winter night - hg-.Ter
reproduced my story has done IL gyith - master
hand and / congratulate myself aud-rns IN
known colahorator Now ! know Iuat Tie d.
uuCafor OF the improved Marion lid a iivauz,.
br, thinE, uropinquitOus model for the lovely
picture. ami / si4sllI forgive you The trCsI,yry
OF Which vou have bccu -uSlty- only cu to- con
dition tnEt you tel me DO reUroty IAN ia =
Nutshell anu who furnished the portrait II
Marion am IN earnest II yoG 40 uui make
a dean breast Of H. 1 viii hsld you liable Tor
al the penalties aIl reyribuIioas Of literary
forgery Yours eXpectantly,
Il declared Who would have thought
.,,-.lnirr,nl Mr. n.t,..r- r,.l..r, ..i.rlt