Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-22
A $1,000 PRIZE STORY.
Miss wilkins Wins in a Competition
for the best Short Tale.

MISS w wins In competition
for the Best Short Tale.
The result of the competition for the
prize of 5000 offered by The S.ar. in con-
nection with other newspapers for the best
short story has been ascertained. The prize
winner was a detective story from the pen
of Miss Mary E. Wilkins, the well-known
writer of stories of New England life and
character. Miss Wilkins had in this in
stance worked in collaboration with Joseph
Edgar Chamberlin of the editorial staff
of the Youths Companion. The winner of
the second prize was Prof. Brander Mat
thews OF Columbia College AS has already
been stated in The Star, under the terms of
the competition all manuscripts We're to be
sent to Bachelor, johnson and Bachelor by
the LIST of May. About the beginning of
April the manuscripts in Mr.. Irving Bachel-
ler'S private office were as thick the
leaves of Nailambrosa. There We're NOT
fewer than 5000 stories sent in. They came
from all parts OF the globe. England Ire
land, Scotland, Greece, Australia, Canada,
Germany, France, the West Indies and
Mexico We're among the foreign countries
whence came manuscripts from English
speaking authors.
All the stories We're read in the first in
stance by Mr. Bachelor and a staff of ex-
perienced coadiuterS. In accordance with
the terms of the competition, every manu-
script had to be typewriter and accompa-
MED by a sealed envelope containing the
name of its author. This was not to be
opened until a decision was reached. For
identification, the envelope bore some mark,
which was also to appear on the story sub
mitted.
These rules were violated in a number of
instances. Some of the manuscripts were
in eXecrable handwriting, and in many that
were typewriter the authors did not hest
tate to aVow their names. Their stories, of
course could not be considered in the con-
test. Those that We're not typewriter, but
were in legible handwriting and otherwise
complied with the conditions of the compe
tition, were not thrown out The authors
who persist in rolling their manuscripts
We're numerous. Their stories were read,
however, but If the writers only knew the
annoyance their particular packages caused
the examiners they would never again send
rolled story TO an editor whom they wish
ed to propitiate.
Fifty of the best stories were selected.
Each reader made note of the stories
and expressing an opinion on its merits.
The fifty stories were then handed to Mr..
John H. Boaer associate editor of the Lit
erary Digest
these fifty and har6ed them to Mr.. Hamil-
ton w. Mabe. editor of the outlook, who
selected the winning stories.
Among the well-known writers who sub
mitted stories in competition for the prize
We're Anna katherine Green, author of
THE LeaVenworth Case" Florence Mar
ryat, Dutied Osborne. Robert w. Cham
berS author of The King in Yellow and
others.
Stories worthy of honorable mention were
written by John Seymour Wood of the
University Club New York city; H. Lynde
of Richmond, Ind; Edgar Thormet Roy of
New York. city, and David Skeets Foster of
Utica, N Y.
The prize stories, as we'll as some of the
best of the other stories. will be printed in
the Saturday Issues of The Star.