Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-02-21
BOOMERANG VENGEANCE.


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London Is . city 70 vast that many
surious things happen therein, and not
, day passes but vengeance Is had by
Iome one inhabitant upon smother.
Revenge In London 10 different in
form from revenge in Corsica, but II Ia
generally quite y effective, even
though Il keeps within the law.
This Is the story Of two mon, each Of
whom revepged himself upon the
other; the first stsalthily while pre-.
tending TO BE- his friends friend, the
second openly u an avowed enemy Of
the Arst, returning revenge for 70.
venge Yet In both cases the revenge
had an effect exactly contrary TO what
the aggressor intended.
Every man living Is whit we call a
genius II he but knew 1t. As the math-
ematical chances are against the right
man ever meeting the right woman
and marrying her, 80, In lesser de-
gree, the chances are against Q man
ending exactly the occupation that is
fitted for him. The round pegs are
stcrnally getting into the square holes.
When square peg gets into q square
hole and fits, we say In our blindness
that the peg Is genius.
Human perversity helps the mathe-
NAUTICAL chance TO prevent the pegs
getting into the right places The sue
pessful tragediap invariably thinks
that his forte Is low comedy, and the
renowned comedian imagines that II
no 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
bis fof3s, but not THO writing Of novels.
Ee had the critical faculty strongly de-
velopcd, and had . style Of his own
which ultimately led him, as every one
knows, into the very front rank Of Eng
fish critics. But the circumstances,
seemingly adverse Ut the time, and the
result Of the meanest treachery, which
guided the square Trlgg's footsteps to-
ward the squared hole, are not 80 well
known.
Alfred Denton, on the other hand,
was q born novelist, yet oil his hopes
were conferred into becoming q great
cditor-a position tor which he was
conspicuously untitled.
When young Trigg met young Den
ton by chance Of u semi-litcrary club to
which both belonged, TrigR congrat-
ulated himself, Denton at TINT 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 sort Of close corpora
ton, whose chief object In life was to
keep the outsider etcrnally outside.
Trigg felt certain that II one Of his
stories but got a chance, 1t would be
sure to succeed, and hc 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 tho begin
ming This, Of course, he had perfect
right to do, but 1t Is questionable II he
was justified in pretending q friend
ship he did not feel, and in leading the
other on to conado his woes md 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, md there 10
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 1t
openly and boldly, and not revenge
himself in q sneaky manner
Denton praised the MSS, highly, took
them to the magazine Office readily,
and kept them for n long time. Then
they were returned to the unfortunate
Trlgg with o note saying that the edi-
tor, In spite Of the warmest commenda-
tions on the part Of Denton, had reject
ed thom.
This was very disappointing as far as
Trlgg was concerned, and he conceived
n violent hatred Of the unknown editor
who barred his way to publicity
No man cun live on rejected MSS.
alone, and Trlgg, embittered by lack
Of success, secured u subordinate posi-
tlou upon the Acadaneum, great
weekly critical journal Ills own try
Ing experience had added Just the
requisite touch Of vlrulence to his pen
which the Acadaneum delighted In, and
Trigg speedily rose In the estimation
Of his superiors on the paper.
Trlgg naturally hated successful
men,
Ono night at q large literary dinner
hc found himself next IN old man who
was introduced to him as the editor Of
the magazine Of which hts friend Dem
ton was the sub Trlgg had by this
time become known as O rising man In
what may be termed the cruel school
Of criticism, and the aged editor was
very gracious to him,
~ wish.' he said at last, "that you
could find time to write us IN article
on any subject that pleased YOU
Trlgg turned npon the benevolent old
man.
And l WISH" he replied, las did the
6cripturul character, that you would
write q book"
The old man beamcd upon him with
surprise,
1.-THE serlptural character" ho said,
''hoped that his enemy would write o
book. Inn certainly not IN enemy Of
yours"
mot now, perhaps" said Trigg bru-
tallv uYou nre like all tho rest. You