Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-04-13
STORY OF A STORY.
A Lost Manuscript and How 1t
Was Reproduced.

literary naVOf possesses nm. lie can
not help detecting the most exquisite
fragranccs and aromas of the authors
art, but it is too often with the feeling
Of the victim of rosc-fever who is com
PEELED to pass through garden in full
bloom.
1t was somewhat remarkable, there
fore, that Payson Dewey, reader for
the Midland Magazine, should have
slipped into his pocket the manuscript
Of a story he had been reading, with
the intention Of taking it home and
sharing his enjoyment of it with his
wife and niece. If it had not been
unique as well as delightful story, Mr..
Dewey would certainly not have thus
departed from his usual custom of leav-
ing the shop behind him when his work
for the day was done. For he had
reached the point where the conven-
tional story, no matter how cleverly
done, only nauseated him. OF course he
could pronounce upon it, as a profess
sional critic, without the least personal
bias; but for himself he would have en-
joyed linging every story of certain
popular type into the fire.
Here was tale, however, completely
and decidedly SQi geoeriS 1t was told
without dialect, and, what is still more
remarkable, without dialogue. The
characters did not jump up, bow,
squeak and retire as their strings were
pulled. Indeed, there were but two
characters in the story and these were
never allowed to appear, either singly
or together, without the personal chap
eronage of the author. Their story
was told for them in the sweetest, sim
plest, quaintest way; and finally they
We're sent away, hand in hand, as I'M
affectedly happy as two Arcadian low
ers. Then the author bowed to the
reader, presented him with tail-piece,
and retired without even giving his full
name. But the initials were those of a
Young and very popular story-writer,
and Payson Dewey, from his interior
relations with the sanctum, knew that
the story was written by this man.
On the way from the magazine office
to Mr. Dewey's home, the manuscript
-,.o.los4
1t was useless to speculate how it
happened Looking at the stain of
split milk fills nobodys thimble There
i, precious little satisfaction in these
''''"'I v y '''''S ''''''-'' nov C"'''i"'
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e'''C1o III I"l'lhHi lev people Always
vly 10 assu .i Ing" ,eel.'ls' IN ' IN.
way VINE" ''''S nave 'NP II. "'A,
aHIer' I"N'"" ne"'S "lu' nc sPtn'
tIIe Mno'e evening SPeru''Vlus' WIN
ms "''e anu l'S niece I""' no" I'a'
inahuHcr'oV Gouio nave s"OVen o"1 o.
ms pocket, 'gF"aP9 II WAS Pu',eu on,
ferhaPS IL HiIPPeo oul' ftrAaPS Il
went through NO, 'haU co"'o not DC
'here was no ho'c IN 'he pocket Ah'
( manuscripts PreSuu'a oIS' nave attained
/ no mastery over J"e louFll uilheheloi
OF space ne conclusion OF lhe "ho''
matter was aiIeF III UhaI Jhe manu-
acrlpU WIS '"SC
When nayson Dewey went back It
! ;rn Midland Office i'm the mDl.ninw n,
.,,l,,. t,lI Nv, ol;,,,,. =. ,bi,,r ,l,a, Il.
" w.,
'a1 io'' '',C ,'',''' ,',,' ',I e VI V''' ''o'
Az III " l"''''o''' VI o1"' 9 ',,,, ''''
'"''o' io''>'' ."'' ''',' 'T>'''' ''''
are JuSI TWO ,',''H' ~ " '.'''e' ''"V
us SUD anu ! N''I 'e"N' $o" 10 w
I'e"i oo''l' r'rS'' "''NeIIl9e III an u"
evening PAPERS an" 'S"'" Io-'''o.'o'
/ morning w oue"' 70 nave 0een 'o"
TINS mornlnEl lof 'he story NlteF Il
tempting reward lVr us return "