The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-03-07
BOOMERANG VENGEANCE.
BY LUKE SHARP.

Revenge. says an eastern proverb, is
q two-edged blade which cuts the hand
that grasps it.
London is city so vast that many
curious things happen therein, and not
day passes but vengeance is had by
some one inhabitant upon another.
Revenge in London is different in
form from revenge in Corsica, but it is
generally quite as effective, even
though it keeps within the law.
This is the story of two men, each of
whom revenged himself upon the
other: the first stealthily while pre-
tending to be his friends friend the
second openly as an avowed enemy Of
the first, returning revenge for re-
venge. Yet in both cases the revenge
had an effect exactly contrary to what
the aggressor intended.
Every man living is what we call a
genius if he but knew it. AS the math-
ematical chances are against the right
man ever meeting the right woman
and marrying her, SO, in lesser de-
gree, the chances are against a man
finding exactly the occupation that is
fitted for him. The round pegs are
eternally getting into the square holes.
When square peg gets into square
hole and fits, we say in our blindness
that the peg is a genius.
Human pcrversity helps the mathe-
matical chance to prevent the pegs
getting into the right places The sue
cessful tragedian invariably thinks
that his forte is low comedy, and the
renowned comedian imagines that if
he but had the chance he could play
Hamlet.
Frederick Trigg wanted to be sue
cessful novelist, vocation for which
he was utterly unsuited. Writing was
his forte, bet not the writing of novels.
He had the critical faculty strongly de-
veloped, and had a style of his own
which ultimately led him, as every one
knows, into the very front rank of Eng
lish critics. But the circumstances,
seemingly adverse at the time, and the
result of the meanest treachery, which
guided the square Trigg's footsteps to-
ward the squared hole, are not SO we'll
known.
Alfred Denton, on the other hand,
was born novelist. yet all his hopes
were centered into becoming great
editor-a position for which he was
conspicuously untitled.
When young Trigg met young Dem
ton by chance at a semi literary club to
which both belonged, Trigg congrat-
ulated himself Denton at that time
was the inefficient sub-editor of we'll
known magazine, and Trigg, whose
MSS. were invariably rejected, was
convinced that the magazine editors of
London formed a sort of close corpora
ton, whose chief object in life was to
keep the outsider eternally outside.
Trigg felt certain that if one of his
stories but got a chance, it would be
sure to succeed, and he felt that his
ripening friendship with Denton would,
when the proper time came, give him
his chance.
There is no doubt but Denton intui-
lively disliked Trigg from the begin
ming. This, of course, he had perfect
right to do, but it is questionable if he
was justified in pretending a friend
ship he did not feel, and in leading the
other on to confide his woes and his
MSS. to him. Perhaps the dislike arose
from the unfortunate habit Trigg had
OF reading selections from his stories to
anyone who would listen, aud there is
no doubt that in those days Denton got
more than his share.
Any man has right to resent this
sort of thing, but he should resist it
openly and boldly. and not revenge
himself in a sreaky manner.
Denton praised the MSS. highly, took
them to the magazine office readily.
and kept them for long time. Then
they were returned to the unfortunate
Irigg with note saying that the edi-
tor, in spite of the warmest commenda-
tions on the part of Denton, had reject
ed them.
This was very disappointing as far as
Irigg was concerned, and he conceived
aviolent hatred Of the unknown editor
who barred bis way to publicity.
No man can live on rejected MSS.
slooe, and IFigg, emhis.ered by Lack