The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-12
THE NEWS PRIZE Story.
Thacher Howland Guild Wins
the FirSt Prize.
ESTHER L. RISK, SECOND PRIZE.
The Stories VIII BE Published with
One or Two Others and They Are
Distinctly Worth Reading-Due No
tice VIII BE Given of Publication.


THE NEWS has much pleasure in an
nouncing that its first prize, els in gold,
for the best story OF not over 25OO words,
written by any pupil of the public or
private schools Of the State, is awarded to
Thacher Howland Guild OF the fourth
class, Providence High School, and that
the second prize, $40 in gold, is awarded to
Miss Esther l.. Risk OF the first class,
Providence High School.
A total of 81 manuscripts were received
from all over the State, one OF which was
subsequently withdrawn. OF these some
seventeen or eighteen stories stood an
excellent show for one OF the prizes, while
most of the rest were extraordinarily
good. Twill thus be seen that the young
man and the young woman who have
secured the prizes have won distinction
that is good deal more important and
interesting than the value of the gold.
How the Judges Judged.
When the competition for the best
story was closed the chief OF THE NEWS
office force took all the MSS. and cata-
logued them, copying the title, writer's
name and pen name and the address, and
separately filing any letters that accom-
panied the stories. Then he cut on the
names OF the authors wherever they ap-
peared on the MSS. and numbered each
story. Then the stories were ready for
examination.
This work consumed good deal of
time As a rule the stories were care
fully written and they came neatly done
up, some OF them with red and blue and
white ribbons run through them. Some
OF the MSS. were rolled, too. Don't roll
the MSS. you send TO an editor,
and don't secure the pages together by
red ribbon or anything else unless
there are an awful lot of pages and you
are too fearful that they Will get loose and
astray. Well, some seventeen or eighteen
stories were picked out. These
represented the best OF their respec-
tive types s-remance, history, boys and
girls stories, adventure, etc. Then Major
Frank III. IIarcourt, secretary OF
the park commission, took this batch of
authorship, and he picked out the two
stories that he thought the best. He
didn't say anything to anybody about
which he had selected, but returned the
stories to THE NEWS. Then THE NEWS
turned them over to Mr.. A. NJ. Williams
who stopped work on the important book
he is himself hurrying for the press, to
examine them. Mr.. Williams picked out
two and told THE NEWS which they
were. Then Major Harcourt told THE
NEWS his choice and it is exceedingly
gratifying and decidedly flattering To
young Mr.. Guild that both judges had
picked out his story for first prize with
out any qualification. For second prize,
too, there was only the shadow OF diff
ference of opinion, If there had been
third prize Mr.. Nathaniel l.. Niles OF 159
Sixth street, Providence, would have re-
ceived il, and the judges requested that
THE NEWS give him honorable mention.
The stories.
THE NEWS will publish the first prize
story on Wednesday next. 1t is entitled
I" For Freedom and its young autnor
assures THE NEWS that it is based on facts
taken from an sathentic account in his
possession of an affair that is decidedly
thrilling i'm its recital.
Miss Risks story is entitled "Doris,"
and is of an entirely different nature and
very differently handled from "For Free
dom" 1T proved exceedingly interesting
TO the judges. 1t will probably be printed
on Thursday.
Tie third selection by Nathaniel l..
Niles is entitled "Bob's Adventure " and
is decidedly spirited piece of writing.
Ii will probably be published on Monday
next.
THE NEWS also proposes to select
several other stories for publication IL
their young authors have no objection.
Some Of them will doubtless prove as in
teresting as the prize stories, because OF
the work that has been done on them
some of them being written by quite
could hardly have hoped TO win prize.
So far as that goes, however, Master
Guild is one OF the youngest OF the young
authors who submitted manuscripts. He
is just 10 years old.
THE NEWS appreciates very much the
interest that has been taken by its young
friends In its effort to entertain and
perhaps instruct them. The. NEWS can
but feel that all who participated must
have gained something that more than
repaid their work. For many OF them it
was trial Of their wings in authorship
and the News is sure the experience must
have been exceedingly interesting to hem
as the examination OF their work has been
most pleasant 60 THE News.
To the young man and the young wo-
man who secured the chief honors among
so many, THE News extends its congrat-
ulat ions and best wishes--which IL is con-
fident are shared by all their competitors.
Before The NEWS finishes printing the
stories IL will see what else IL can hatch
up for the entertainment and instruction
OF its young readers. Has any body any
thing 10 suVpest?