The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-11-21

editors laugh ut people who roll their manu-
scrlDts. but sent yoll my story flat, as you ar
always advising in Your notice to cOntribu
tors and you returned 1t rolled. Besides this
tho NUMBER 1854 WINS marked on it with in
deible pencil. 1 can't send the story on
again unless I copy it. I haven't any type
writer, and II I had one ! shouldn't know
how to uso it. and my hand gets 80 tiret
copying. think 1t was shame to spoil my
nice looking manuscript, and [ think yor
ought 10 do something about it. Please le
me hear from you.
every truly yours.
"EL1ZADETH HASTINGS PEATr."
The associate editor laughed. "Poor
little thing. it was q shame to spoil he1
poor little story!"
"Poor little, poor little!' said the
editor mockinsly. "She may be eight
feet tall, and old enough to be your
mother"
"Nc, she isn't. She is young and
plump and pretty, and she has dim.
pies and beseeching blue eyes. in
slst that it was q shame to spoil her
story"
The associate editor had the story
on his mind, evidently, tor few mo.
meuts later he asked: "What was the
story? Do you know, Halsey?"
perhaps it was 'pome' - Lines to
Pet Kitten, for instance.
Nonsense. She called, it story,
Where is the manuscript book? pratt,
Elizabeth H. 'lhe Crime OF Geof.
frey Halsmere. Hump !,Rather tragic.
Montgomery".-to the clerk "did
you roll that manuscript when you re.
turned it,"
''Yes, it WIS so big that no envelope
would hold it,"
"You might have wrapped it. Hal
sey, don't you think we ought to make
Montgomery copy the story on the
typewriter"
Certainly, Bert, make him copy it,
and you take the story to Elizabeth
Partt Hastings and make her acquaint-
ance;" and the editor made raid on
a fresh pile of unsolicited manuscripts.
Bert, or more properly, Hubert
Marsh, dictated o letter to Miss Pratt,
which promptly brought "rhe Crime
of Godfrey Haismere" to be copied.
Mr.. Marsh stood over Montgomery
while he did it, and when it was
wrapped up, fiat, it was put in the
associate editors desk till that gentle.
man saw 1T to return it.
"Have you returned Elizabeth Pratt
Hastings story?" Halsey asked one
day.
':Her name is Elizabeth Hastings
Pratt, said Bert, putting beautiful
point on his lead pencil. 81 think I
shall deliver the manuscript on Sat-
urday. have to pass through her
town on my way to Sister Annals. I
want to prove to you that E. Fl. P. is
young. beautiful and dimpiea."
'l'll wager anything you like that
she is tall, thin, and forty-two."
"Make it q hat, if you don't mind; I
shall want one soon." :.
"Done. Monday morning you will
return quite chapfallen. J. shouldn't
mind having hat myself"
On Saturday afternoon Mr.. Hubert
Marsh arrayed himself with even more
than his usual care, and set out for
Sister Annals, intending to stop at
Miss Pratt's and deliver the story.
The neat maid who answered his ring
told him that he would find Miss Pratt
in the garden. He did. He found
her not only in the garden, but in the
and he wished the editor
could be there so sec how pretty she
was. After q moment, however,
he felt quite resigned to his chiefs
absence.
"Pardon me, but the maid directed
me here" Bert began, with his most
engaging smile. II am the associate
editor of the Epoch, and as was pass.
ing through your town, I thought I
would leave your manuscript-to
make sure that it did not get rolled
again." he added playiully.
30, then you have returned It'll"
Miss Pratt clasped her hands in tragic
fashion. 81 did so hope that some
thing might happen to make you keep
it. [ should think you might have
kept it. This may seem like a triaing
matter to you, but it means a great
deal to me. l need money so much.
She slipped out of the hammock and
stood before Burt in a supplicating
attitude. "Why can't you print it?
Is 1t so bad?"
Bert felt that he was in tight
place, and he heartily wished that he
had let Montgomery mail the story.
But she was SO pretty!
"Well, you see that sort of thing is
not exactly in our llne," he began