The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-04-27

W give Ills WIG SOLlG COuCr0UO lucd Ol
this central figure and the exquisitely
sympathetic way in which she had
been treated All at once, however,
fash of revelation and surprise lighted
Mr.. Dewey's face, and he exclaimed:
II Ideclare! Come to think of it, she
was exactly like our Vida-looled like
her, talked like her, thought like her,
acted Ike her, and had the same
sweet, helpful, generous disposition,
combined with an idealizing and poet
ical way Of looking at things. If you
can only make a vivid, characteristic
picture of Vida, you will equal or sur
pass the authors delineation of his
heroine"
s'Hush!'' whispered Mrs. Dewey.
"Vida is in the dining-room setting the
table for breakfast.
What of it?" demanded Mr.. Dewey.
''She ought to be thankful to get into
literature--especially under the auspices
of two as brilliant writers as will De
represented in 'All in Nutshell!'
And he nudged his wife slyly. The
confidence in his better half, that if
she had announced her intention of re-
juvenating the moon, he would have
joyfully and unhesitatingly indorsed
her ability to do so. The scheme of re-
producing "All in Nutshell" even
verbatim ct hteratim Tor practically
SOY already began to look entirely
feasible, and Mr.. Dewey's spirits rose
accordingly.
Sweet little Vida Dewey! She was en-
tirely unconscious of being put into a
story; and yet she wondered sometimes,
during those days in which her aunt
was agonizing over the reincarnation
of Mr.. IS heroine, why the keen
gray eyes followed her every movement
so closely, and why for hours Mrs.
Dewey would keep her talking about 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 palpitating eagerness, to her hus-
band.
''Jane!" cried Mr.. Dewey, when his
wife's voice had died tremulously away
upon the last syllable of the reproduc-
tion, ''your woman's intuition has made
you absolutely clarvoyant! Why. you
have reproduced the story so faithfully
that could have said, did not know
the circumstances, that you had found
and were reading the original manu-
script!'' Mr.. Dewey was so elated, so
rejoiced, that he took his wife in his
arms and hugged her; an impulsive ac-
tion which called up "reminiscences
that were enough in themselves to COM
pensate her for all the pangs of author
ship.
1t was daring thing to do-perhaps
not altogeth er ethically excusable; but
Payson Dewey, instead of sending the
reproduct ction to the author of "All in a
Nutshell" reported favorably upon the
story to the assistant editor of the Mid
land, who. in the absence of his chief
upon a summer vacation trip, read the
manuscript-new to him-liked it also,
and passed it on to be put in type. Then
the perfdious 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. The author read it, as he
habitually read his own productions,
with entire satisfaction and degree
of pleasure quite consonant with an
after-dinner cigar.
Indeed, "All in NutshelP proved
to be more gratifying to him than he
had expected. Marion is exquisitely
sketched," he said to himself II knew
while I was writing the story that
without distinct purpose, perhaps-I
was painting my ideal of maidenhood-
the girl l should like to marry, if 1
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 it quite
so neatly and to the manner born,'
with my merely theoretical knowledge
of women"
A second reading of the story plunged
the famous young man into a still
more skeptical admiration of himself.
what a lucky thing it was that the
man Dewey persevered until he found
the lost manuscript" he cried. "This
is really the best thing ever did-this
picture of Marion. Confound it, though!
did | do it? i couldn't have known
some of these things about girls unless
l dreamed them. However, I'll settle
it I'll find that first draft, if it's under
this roof am bound to know wheth-
er l really do know what seem to
know about women or notw
About a week after the appearance
of "All in Nutshell" in the Midland
Magazine, Payson Dewey received this
note from the author of ''All in Nut
shell":
MY DEAR MR. DEwEY-I have found the
original draft Of GAN in Nutshell" and hav-
| Ing compared it with the story as it appears in
| the November Midland, find that the two re.
| semble each other about as closely as paper
| snowstorm in q theater resembles Emersons
immortal picture of winter night Whoever
reproduced my story has done 1t with a master
hand. and congratulate myself and-my un-
known collaboration. Now I know that the de-
lineator OF the improved Marion had living,
breathing, propinquitous model for the lovely
| picture, and shall forgive you tho treachery
Of which you have been guilty, only on the con-
dition that you tell me who rewrote "All in o
| Nutshell" and who furnished the portrait OF,
clean breast of it, will hold you liable for
oil the penalties and retributions OF literary
forgery. Yours expectantly,
81 declared Who would have thought
it," exclaimed Mrs Dewey, when eight
months later the famous young story
writer had asked and received permis-
sion to wed Mr.. Dewey's lovely niece
and ward GVida ia 90 hapY1x too