New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21
THE RED FAN.

The nrincipal of the Novelists' College SAT
upon a grand-looking chair before an important,
looking table In a large room In an cln-idsn.un.a
London square. Around the room were al du ,1.
six or eight small tables. w on each OF Will
was laid a sloping desk. blottng-rad r, ,.
OF Paper. an inkstsnd. and bundle Of pens e uo
no one sat upon the chairs that froi'e" ''e
desks The principal was quite alone , ,,o,
NOV what is to be the upshot Of an TINS;
he was asking himself. Here Is the Novelbts
College and here Is the principal OF the sdu 80
lege. But where are the students VINO si 49, 49,
crowding around me. pouring their fees mo Ihy
rockets and clamoring for my INSTRUCTIONS
They don't come. and ask myself AGAIN =" ia.
is 70 be the uIehot OF all this? Have not
puffed myself as never even pm PILL h's M,
puffed? Have not spent three-fourths ol M
fortune in advertising this college winch
have myself founded? And nave l nov sreni
almost the whole Of the remainder IN nirins anu
furnishing these convenient premises nave
not only done this, but have appointed al uheH s
ceptionabe principal to organize the WORK ~ ME
college and to impart instruction 10 'i,c ~,
Of novel-writng. And can any man uo'.' o'','
7 have chosen we'll? Am not Gualihed to con
duct this institution? Have not reah hoNeIs
by the thousand? DO | not know every Pio' .",e
the mind Of man or of woman has coheeNcu.
| have It is true no imagination. But gwen an
idea have uncommon skill in developing IL
given a subject, | am tremendous AT DIALOGUE
given a hint, can construct Voiuhe an
write the purest English and can write IL III
every style | have the best quotations at MY
fingers erds | know the nearing or all the
words In the English vocabulary. nav EYER!
gift hut fancy: yet, what Is the result! On Il
certain day in the merry month OF May oPo',
the Novelists College. l open 1t at y a, m, anu
install a principal whose merits are ihduoitaoIe
The principal waits, expecting rush Vi e.,1
bryo noveists from east, west horth anu 9p w.
But the embryo novelists come nos. Al I"'i'
q m the principal alone occupies THESE coz"
venient premises. Que faire? nave eNhaus'e ,,
my resources on a venture peradVehtuIe' Oh al
adventure-a this Is what remains, can ~,
three months, OdtlHB llV'h
to-day and can spend - ,
spread them upon the table There Were nor
many and he told them at a glance. htee
hounds fifteen shillings and sevenpence-naII-
penny and the occupancy or inns room loI IN ~ ,
months lie between me and the workhouse. ne
said thoughtfullN. 1900, .
Certainly ii was u very small sum. and GER
tainly the principals prospects looked piack
why did my mother OBJECT 10 my bo'ns s., NJ
the navy and my grandmother cry wheh iIov,-
cd tn, army g" he went on. why ala my srdhu-
father declare that IL was infia dig. 10 De d uoO
tor? And why did my father say had nos
hyaius rnough for the bar? And why had
conscientious srruplrs against being 'leisS
man? And why did my prosecutors No" anu
protest that needn't be anything because 1"r,y
WAS plenty Of money In the falHlly ana IL ""''''
All come L. M? And then. why dld thel put
every farthing they possessed III the MID African
Gold Mining COMPANY, winch S"ne to W.
smash and left me with capital ~ tfVV WIZ"
had lked for 10000 ! am the most ui.-
fortunate man IA the world cried the principal
shifting his breast But VIII not Glyr up mop
| viii place my halfpenny ia the Hludle "l t'e
table and as long as have not t. draw upon
II | VIII hope on. When that halipenhy mas
disappeared. viii then consider the eApedle"'S
Of laying down l. die
The principal leaned back ia his chair some
what heated His MAS sansuinr mature. h'''
h. could not Disguise from himself that i"iluIe
Was staring him ia the face. ana liAt s'di a
ton was lurking hard by. For lac Thought hlI"
ruefully. h. was first ~ all. utterly inc"inpe-
tent 10 earn his own livelihood. and. secondly
he had engaged in rash ana rNp,hsNe 'i ii,''i
prise. which he perceived too late. was unlikely
10 be In the least productive. cue ialir ne
asked himself again. and r'hort '.nn n", ,,'
there would have answered cue rare ih mon
low and hopeless tones. ,,
The poor principal sighed heavily. and his SIKH
belied the big. brave words he had JUST H''"I'"
OF course he thought he could sell IN" furniture
OF the college. and he could sell his good 'l"'"s
but after all such sales would only Tor ulhe
defer the moment when he must draw upon the
halfpenny. / hope nobody VIII think st"ih 81
him when confess that his next sigh sounded
Ike "A sob. and that for some reason he pressed
his handkerchief 10 his eyes
At this moment he became aware that some
one was tapping timidly at the door Hastily
composing himself he called out. In severe
tone. Come in There was a moments heslta-
ton and then the door opened.
The sight Of the fairylike ltiie creature who
entered took away the principals breath ana
made him start 10 his feet lie thought that ne
had never seen any one 50 pretty as inc DAINTY
maiden who stood before him. clad ia Whit. with
Il lovely color coming and going In her checks.
painting "A little. obviously nervous she was
encountered 10y a large parcel and htiI" para
sol The principal came forward and relieved
her Of both. placing them on the nearest table
and getting chair for her
what can ! do for you he asked.
"Oh don't know that you can DO anything.
said the girl. AT least. you can tell me when |
can see the principal didn't come earlier be-
cause thought he would be- so busy and should
be overlooked in the crush and now I'm afraid
I've come too late. and he has gone on some
where with his class
So this was n student-the FIRST student over
look her. thought the principal As soon over
look the spring
II am the principal" he said. stammering
little I'm his pleasure and excitement.
YOU cried she
Yes l." he asserted
Aunt Jane thought you would be sixty and
have spectacles" said she.
II am twenty six but that isn't so very young.
and | have seen lots OF the world and had
great many experiences the principal FASTENED
TO explain.
81 don't mind" said the girl, with charming
frankness and a most engaging smile Indeed
] can talk TO you better as you are. should be
dreadfully frightened II YOU were sixty. don't
think Aunt Jane will mind-shes coming TO
fetch me presently-because, though You are not
old you don't look wild"
The principal laughed. "Why should look
"Well. Aunt Jane says all young men arc
Wild" returned the girl. "She says they make
ducks and brakes Of their money and waste all
their time. and smoke all day. But don't smell
any smoke" said she. interrupting herself.
Il shouldn't think Of smoking here am the
principal" said that gentleman. with dignity.
"Of course. am sure you are not the least
bit wild You wouldn't have been appointed
principal If you had been. I'm sure Aunt Jane
will say It's all right. ! saw your advertise
Incnt in the paper. and begged Aunt Jane TO
let me join your class. I've just come out, you
know; but don't want to be quite butterfly
7 want 10 do something steady and useful. and
I've no taste for philanthropy. so | thought Ia
write n novel. read once that one OF the great
brain doctors said that people who wrote novels
saved a lot OF people who read them from going
mad, and thought should Ike 10 do that. So
! want to learn how to write novel and. please.
should Ike TO enter my name as n student,
and paw my fee because | saw in the advertise
ment il said. Fees payable In advance Please
Mr. Principal what Is the fee?" concluded the
fairy, with another fascinating smile.
Netaphorlcaly the principal went down on