The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-03-22

Az your later developments MS ,Ivcll
ana IS Il most remarkable work. from
which anyone with Il grain of sense
I ought to have predicted your future
greatness
'but won't Patterson split?" asked
Buhcombc. u wouldn't mind if Icorld
rewrite the thing myself. pitched
upon 1T as my first book because T
thought it Would stimulate public
curiosity. The public always venrns
for what il can't get"
Not to be thought of" said Bodpers
Patterson will do it ever so much hot
ter; YOU see, he's studied Your STYLE:
and I've got man to look after him
when he's drunk. He could initiate
Herodotus if wanted him to. but hos
no originality"
~ think he's the most original writer
OF the nineteenth century," said Bun
comoc, bitterly, ''if he knows more
about my work than do"
ell, now said Dodgers, soothing
ly' well start off with your opening
paragraph OF She Wasn't to Blame,'
just as n concession. Here it is in
PROOF. DO you remember it?"
Buncombe read it. "Ah, had fresh
ness in those days." he said. sorrow
fully. u couldn't write like that
now"
patterson wrote every word of If -
sad dodgers, trlumphantly, producinr
the original story, which was abont
hve thousand words in length. "Just
compare them. Now are YOU satisfcdpn
Yes; Patterson is great copyist."
II was the first to discover pottor-
sons initiative powers" said Bodgcrs
lie began on one of my checks but
directed his efforts into yorthier ch,n-
nels. Consequently, he darent omen
his mouth except when hos drunl, ),
assure YOU, Mr.. Dodgers. sir said
Patterson, Tin never drnnl, fiji oftar
office hours. You pain mo sir
pledged you my honor. sir. tho honor
OF poor gentleman.
That's all right" said Dod,
careiessly. Now you can go;" and
Patterson departed.
bunconbes first book" article made
an enormous success, and, thanks to
pousers paragraphs, applications
came In for "She Wasn't to Blame" from
al over the country. There grew up n
boom In Buncombc, and he leased him
sell out to syndicate for five wears at
1our thousand a year, and paid off his
oeots. dodgers was so cnraptured Mt
.he success of his plan that, when he
mad sold forty thousand of the shabby
edltlon OF "Sho Wasn't to Blame.n he
brought out new one. One afternoon
when he took Buncombe big cbocl,
that worthy, with some qualms of con.
science, asked after Patterson.
Hes in bed" said Dodgers, regret
FULLY, sleeping off his last excess
shall have to try and get hold of new
author soon; but Patterson won't no nm
to the mark for day or two. He said
he would like to see you, if YOU could
go and look him up in ROYAL Mint
square, by the tower. He lives oppo-
site the policeman on the first floor"
Buncombc took a hanson and drove
down to Mint square, and soon found
himself in squalid room opposite tho
equally squalid Patterson, who Law in n
heavy doze.
Inc policcmans wife, who waited on
patterson. told Buncombc that he
hadn't long to live; SO Runcombc sat
down and waited until Patterson
opened his eyes.
What's the matter?" asked Bun-
combc, kindly, for he was Il good-na-
turcd fellow. 1--WE must get YOU out
of here, Patterson, and make Won com
Portable"
Patterson raised himself I'M in bed
II shan't live to do any more fret
books, " he said. 1--WE gone the nacc
lived my life-disgraced myself; and
now IT'S ending. What 1 wanted to
say was" He paused painfully.
''Yes?"
81 had genius once, and-gin drowned
1t; L had aspirations once, and-pin
drowned them; had wife and child
once, and-gin killed them; had n
poets soul; | lived and delighted in
living; and just as 1 found out the
sweetness and greatness, and grandeur
and beauty of the world, gin took hold
OF me, and crumplcd me up to this. I
didn't do what was in me to do. It's
burning to get out of this poor, perish
ing clay, but gin holds it in, and it
can't get out. 1t can't get out. Now.
listen"
Buncomc was touched. lie arranged
the clothes more comfortably around
Pattcrson's shoulders.
Listen, continued Patterson. Cen
JUS doesn't dic-it's immortal. You're
not dead with gin, but you've sold
yourself to Il syndicate, which is nearly
as bad. know | shall die in five min
utcs' but, before die, I'm breathing
INTO your soul the genius. which was
mlnc. For heavens sake, use it nobly.
Don't sell yourself. Let the flame burn
brightly, purely. Make yourself really
great: Starvc-die in garret-but be
true to yourself. A man who has lived
up to the greatness within him can
face the God who gave it. Promise
prom"