The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-03-12
FOUNDED ON FACT.

the name.
"Ask him to step in here, b" 1 said at
length.
The man who entered my study was
a complete stranger to me. He was tall,
between 40 and 90 years Of age, rather
thin and very angular in his move
ments. He wore short beard, was
slightly bald and had decidedly pleasant
features. When he smiled, his eyes
seemed to sparkle and he exhibited two
excellent rows of teeth.
"I am afraid / am quite unknown to
you, I" he began.
bowed my head and wondered what
was coming next.
"But your name as rising young
novelist and writer of short stories is,
of course, familiar to me. "
Who could he bef l began to have
visions of publishers and editors clamor-
ing at my door for contributions from
my pen, Was he about to give me
commission for new serialP Perhaps
he represented some leading magazine
and was prepared to pay sums undream-
ed Of for my tales Of love and adven
ture. Or was he only some newspaper
interviewer bent on satisfying the curl
osity Of his readers respecting my opin-
| ions and manner of lifeP
"Pray be seated, said.
We sat facing one another on opposite
sides Of the hearth rug. 1t was a cold,
dull November day, and the bright fire
that burned in the CRATE was comfort
ing. Mr. Rogers took from his pocket a
copy of popular magazine and held it
on his knee.
Capital story that Of yours"
"Which?" l asked.
"That last one in here, he said, tap
ping the covers of the boz, "the story
called The Mystery of Rowner's 8 Mill. "
81 am glad you like it, but really"-
"a splendid storyl Father daring
though"
"Daring?"
"Yes-to publish story of real life
as mere fiction"
''I don't understand what
"But why did you make Maud dark
girl? OF course she was fair, as you
know. Her real name was Mabel, but
that doesn't matter"
| You are quite
"Still, you have hit off Maltby to
at"
"The story, assure, you, was"-
written under pressure of timei
Yes, have no doubt of it. But your de.
scription of the old mill is exact. Row
ner's Mill is, of course, Radford's Mill
near B."
..., L..
"Quite unnecessary, / assure you
You were perfectly justified in changing
the name. But t. It passage in which
you describe the ct Of vengeance Oh
Maltby is remarkably powerful and ac
curate. All here it is: Seeing his vic
tim powerless, Jasper Gore, with the
strength of a giant, seized him in bi'
arms and for one moment held hin
above his head in front Of the open win
dow. Then he hurled the wretched mar
into space. Down, down he fell, until
with a splash that was inaudible alniC
the roar and rattle Of the mill, Maltby
disappeared in the deep water of thC
race, and was instantly battered to {
shapeless mass by the huge revolving
water wheel !"
"But surely you know
"Oh, yes; I know every inch Of tht
place. or course you are little bi
rough on me"
ION your"
"Yes; you see, Jasper Core
Irose to my feet. So far had hardly
been able to get word in edgeways.
had not the slightest idea what he wa
driving at. He was exhausting my pa
tience.
"Look here, sir" shouted warmly
"I haven't yet the pleasure of knowing
who you are. What the-will you kind
ly tell me what you are talking about?'
"Why, my dear sir, 1 am talking
about this story of yours called 9Th
Mystery of Rowner's Mill was jus
saying that You have made me-other
wise Jasper Gore
"Gore is one of my characters. un
derstand your name is Rogers -
The man leaned back and roared witt
laughter. / sank into my chair in I
state of evaporation.
Excuse my laughing" he said, "bu
when you put on that innocent air it j
{ irresistibly funny. What does it matte
which name I use, Gore or Rogers-ar
. they not one and the same? What wa
Z easier? You took my real name, Rogers
!, rejected the last two letters, transpose'
: the others, and then you had it--Gore I
!; was now quite out Of temper.
!, II don't know what your object is,
{ ] said, "in coming here and talking thi
! ! nonsense. The story is pure fiction
!, simple creation of my own brain-fron
beginning to end. So far as know, tn
n characters never lived, the incident
never happened, the mill described nev
3 or had any existence-exoept in my owl
I imagination.
% My visitor watched me as l spoke
n and grin slowly broadened on his face
!; D until he again burst into loud laughter
n "I should never have believed itl'
Q he said.
q Believed what?'
70 lyon novelists, it would appear, ar
rs so stepped in fiction that you lose all re
: gard for truth"
n "What do you mean, sirf' cried in
dignantly.
sis it necessary to explain? HIRE, il
this m magazine, have a story every q
sential detail Of which is actual trutl
|. and you coolly tell me that it was q
!. evolved out of your own brain !"
Certainly. So il was. F"
II - Ia