The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-25

put of the tang1e at length, and began
to recall just what had happened
His previous story which was to have
inaugurated new era, what had be-
come of it? -Four weeks he had been
tying there, they told him In that
time the room would be let TO n new
tenant, and his story scrubbed of the
.loth by some wooden-headed cham
bermaid. He fretted and fumed over
1t. His omen of good luck had been
molished by q sledge hammer.
Don't you want to look over these
papers?" quaried the pre- tty cheer
full nurse, placing a pile before him. J."
''You need to catch up with the
times"
Julian tossed them over half savage ly
and came presently upon something
that made his heart thump. His story
was looking him In the face from the
columns of the Exaggerator- 1t was
entitled Unto His Kingdom" The
letters seemed to wink and blink at
him knowingly.
He read it through. There had
been scarcely any alteration Some
body had got ahead of the chamber
maid and copied it, selling it as his OF
her own production. He should never
groaned in spirit.
Presently he came upon a copy of
the Daily Fizzler, three weeks old.
There he found the story headed by
sensational paragraph, which was evil
IDENTIFY it's first appearance, the other
paper being a copy.
Julian was half amused, half an
noyed over the conjectures about the
author The paragraph set forth the
production found on the oilcloth as
the last effort of an unfortunate son
of genius Driven to extre nifty, with
out penny even to buy paper, he had
fixed his last ideas upon the only
white surface he could command, and
then he had gone out into the night
and committed suicide. One of those
unidentified bodies at the morgue was
his, probably. Could he have STAYED
off despair twenty-four hours longer
the ice would have been broken
Julian breathed freer. The copyist
then, had not palmed off the prOduc-
ton as his or her own. He could YET
claim it without dispute.
AS soon as he was on his feet he
called on the editor of the Daily Fig
zler, who knew him by sight and had
prophesied success for him some day.
SIT seems I have been figuring in
the Fizzler lately an impecuniOua
suicide" said Julian bluntly.
The editor laid down his PEN. lex.
plain he said.
Julian told the story.
''Like another man, you awake TO
find yourself famous, said the editor
Offering his hand. ''That story has
been copied all over the country. 1t
is gem of its kind
7 n Ill
again said Julian.
again. You will now command %
hearing"
How did you get hold of it?"
''It was sent in by-by-" consult
ing a memorandum-"by Miss Cora
Wheeler, 142 - street."
''Why, L wrote the story in that
housev'
''She sent note stating the facts,
and Bolton, you know him, touched
them up trifie. None of us suspected
you. The landlady believed your
name was Jones, but, on second
thought. didn't know but it was
Smith,
Il had only word with her when
1 engaged the room"
II may as well pay you to-day"
A glance showed Julian it was
drawn for one hundred dollars. He
was in luck after all, it seemed.
Next he rode uptown and rang the
bell at 142 - street. How much had
happened since he first went up those
steps, less than six weeks agoi
The girl who opened the door looked
at him blanlxly when he asked for
Miss Wheeler, and showed him into q
small reception room while she took
his card.
He was presently asked to step up
stairs, third floor, front.
The dor was half open, showing a
prettily furnished interior. He tap
ped gently. There was a rustling
behind dark green portiere and a
young woman stepped out from be-
hind it and greeted him with Good
morning. She was the one he had
met on the stairs in the gloom, he
could swear. There was the same.
faint perfume about her garments
and, besides, he knew her atmosphere.
tYou are Miss Cora WheelerP'
She bowed
+'And am Julian Jones. 1 wrote
the story on the oilcloth. am told
it found its way into print through
you. 1 have come to thank you
Miss Wheeler was about as breath
less as Julian. She motioned him to
a chair and sat down. The facts that
he had presented rapidly grouped
themselves at once logically in her
mind.
Then you did not suicide" she
said with a mirthful glance at his
frame, adding, 81 never