Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-03-30

then | will cudgel mine"
Payson Dewey did cudgel his brains.
He was able to give his wife reason.
ably adequate idea of the plot, method
of treatment and style of composition
of "All in a Nutshell;' but the charac,
tiers of the story batiled him-especial.
ly the girl. He tried for long time
to give his wife some concrete idea OF
this central figure and the eXquisitely
sympathetic way in which she had
been treated. All at once, however, q
fash of revelation and surprise lighted
Mr. Deweys face, and he exclaimed;
u declare! Come to think of it, she
was exactly like our Vida-looked like
her, talked like her, thought like her,
acted like her, and had the same
sweet, helpful, generous disposition,
combined with an idealizing and poet
zeal way of looking at things, If you
can only make vivid, characteristic
picture of Vida, you will equal or sur
pass the authors delineation of his
heroine"
"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 int,
literature--especia under the auspice
of two as brilliant writers as will %
represented in All in a Nutshell!
And he nudged his wife slyly. Th,
fact is, Mr.. Dewey had such unbounded
she had announced her intention of re
juvenating the moon, he would have
joyfully and unhesitatingly Endorsed
her ability to do so, The scheme of re-
producing "All in a Nutshell" even
verbatim ct literatim Tor practically
so) 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 FACILITATING eagerness, to her has
band.
Jane" cried Mr.. Dewey, when his
wife's voice had died TREMENDOUSLY away
upon the last syllable of the reproduc'
ton, 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 We're reading the original manu-
script" Mr.. Dewey was so elated, SC
rejoiced that he took his wife in his
arms and Rugged her; an impulsive ac
ton 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-perhap:
not altogeth er officially eXcusable; bu
Payson Dewey, instead of sending the
reproduction to the author of "All in (
Nutshell, reported favorably upon the
story to the assistant editor of the Mid
land, who, in the absence of his chic
upon a summer vacation trip, read thu
manuscript new to him-likcd it also
and passed it on to be put in type. Their
the perddious Mr.. Dewey wrote to tn,
author that his lost manuscript ha(
been discovered, accepted, and would
appear in due time in the MIDLAND
Magazine
It was November before the story ap
peared The author read it, as h
habitually read his own productions
with entire satisfaction and a degre
of pleasure quite consonant with a
aiter-dinncr cigar.
Indeed, "All in a NUTSHELL prove
to be more gratifying to him than h
/ had expected Marion is cXquisitel
/ slletched, " he said to himself. II llneN
while | was writing the story that
without distinct purpose, perhaps
was painting my ideal OF maidenhood-
the girl should like to marry, if
could ever find her - Gad.' he eA
claimed, running down the page, "wha
a touch that is. 1t really doesn't seer
possible that could have put it quit
so neatly and to the manner born
with my merely theoretical knowledg
of women"
A second reading of the story plunge
the famous young man into a sti
more skeptical admiration of himsel
"What a lucky thing it was that tn
man Dewey persevered until he foun
the lost manuscript, he cried. 9Th
is really the best thing ever did-th
picture of Marion. COnfound it, though
did | do it? | couldn't have know
some Of these things about girls unle'
| dreamed them. However, FL sett
it. I'll find that first draft, if it's undo
this roof. am bound to know whetI
err really do know what | seem
know about women or not"
About week after the appearan,
of "All in a Nutshell" in the Midlar
Magazine, Payson Dewey received tn
note from the author of "All in a M
SHELF:
My DEAR Mr. DEWEY have found Il
. nnI DIV ,f Nutshell and I'm