Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-03-01

TO rush OUT TO the nearest DOOKSGall ana
to ask for copy Of the work referred
to. Then suddenly it flashed across my
/ mind that had the book in my pocket,
and remembering what I had seen at
| Ross rooms I began to understand the
advertising scheme of which he had
spoken SO sanguinely, and which, ac-
cording to what had seen and my
own impulse at the moment, had read
the post card, seemed decidedly an eff
fectual one.
happened to meet Ross that same
evening just as he was alighting from
hanson outside fashionable Regent
street cafe AS soon as he saw me he
rushed up and cried out: "What did I
tell you, old chap? Is it success, or is
it not? We are printing the sixtieth to
SEVENTEEN thousand at this moment. "
81 suppose it is to you owe this
highly interesting missive?'' said,
holding out the post card that I had re-
ceived.
Ross glanced at it, and turning rather
red said: ST didn t know that your name
was in the directory, or would have
SAtOA 41ouA uOuAOAo UA10u yOu WCAO AOu w
be written to. Not that it matters much
now that the success of the book is as
sured. Well, yes, that was the idea, and
famously it has worked, as you have
seen. We sent cards to every body in the
who's Who,' in the clergy list, in the
court section of the London directory
and in the law list. Of course everybody
who received card Immediately rushed
off to the nearest bookseller to get the
book and to find out how it referred to
him. You see, everybody has more or
less of skeleton in his cupboard, and
there you are, don't you know. A fresh
batch of post cards is going out tonight.
Tell me, what do you think Of the
idea?''
IT don't know" I said. ''It's origi-
nal certainly. Perhaps on the point Of
taste'-
"Oh, taste be hanged!' cried Ross.
"Money is the thing to be got, and mon
ey I am getting. That wretched little
book which I dashed off on my type
writer in fortnight has already brought
me in over G400, and I wouldn't sell
my interest in it at present for twice as
much again. And then look what start
it gives me as literary fellow. Won't
the publishers be after me soon, Ross.
the author of the book which, without
being advertised or reviewed in the pa
pers, ran through over 100 editions in
six weeks? I tell you my fortune is
made, thanks to that happy thought of
mine.
I said nothing and shortly afterward
quilted him.
His sanguine hopes were not destined
to realization, by curious example Of
the irony of fate. On the very next day
after I had met him suit for libel was
commenced against him by clergyman
in the north of England named Burrell,
who, having his attention called to a
libel on him in the form of a story in
which the names were SO thinly dis
guised as to be recognizable by any one
of his acquaintance, and seeing in the
story malicious and grossly exagger-
ated version of certain circumstances
which had occurred in his family, in
structed his solicitor to commence pro.
CC0u1ASo w A1lO tAOoO WOAO pOANAAS5 VAA0
publishers, to reduce their responsibility
to the lowest degree possible, suspended
the sale of the book. in spite Of the fact
that the demand for copies increased
daily. Very heavy damages were claim
ed by the plaintiff. The affair was
however, settled out Of court, settle
ment which left Ross considerably out
of pocket by his first and last literary
venture.
81 never heard of this fellow Burrell
in my life,' he told me mournfully.
''The story, such as it was, came out of
my head. But of course I couldn't 60
into court and give myself away. The
laugh would have been against me- -
And SO no doubt it would have been.
-Tdler