The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-11-21
wTsEE2,ss III sas,<s.sss ssssssessaTss
{. 5.;.:8l{lEPARY}
THE STORY
OF A STORY.
BY ADELAIDE L. ROUSE.

10 q gin lettel, anu d very iIulShaho 5iii
letter. I'll read it.
"To THE EDITOR OF THE EPOCH
''Sir-I have always understood thai
editors laugh at people who roll their man
uscripts, but sent you my story flat, as
you are always advising in your notice tc
contributors, and you returned it rolled
Besides this the number 'Sl54' was marked
on it with indelible pencil. l can't send
the story out again unless I copy it.
haven't typewriter, and if 1 had one
shouldn't know how to use it, and my
hand gets so tired copying. l think il
was shame to spoil my nice looking man.
uscript, and think you ought to do some
thing about it. Please let me hear from
you. Very truly yours,
ELIZABETH HASTINGS PRATT"
The associate editor laughed. "Poor
little thing it was shame to spoil her
poor little story"
"Poor little, poor little" said the editor
mockingly. 'She may be eight feet tall,
and old enough to be your MOTHER
''No she isn't. She is young and plump
and pretty, and she has dimples and be-
seeohing blue eyes. insist that it was a
shame to spoil her story
The associate editor had the story on his
mind, evidently, for few minutes later he
asked: "What was the story? Do you
know, Halsey?"
"Perhaps it was a pome'-'Lines to a
Pet Kitten, for instance"
"Nonsense. She called it 4 story. Where
is the manuscript book? Pratt, Elizabeth
H.'-'The Crime of Godfrey Halsmere. ,
Hump! Rather tragic. Montgomery
to the clerk-''did you roll that manuscript
when you returned it?'
Eyes, it was so big that no envelope
would hold it."
"You might have wrapped it. Halsey,
don't you think we ought to make Mont
gomery copy the story on the typewriter"
Certainly, Bert, make him copy it, and
you take the story to Elizabeth Pratt
Hastings and make her acquaintance; and
the editor made raid on fresh pile of
unsolicited manuscripts.
Bert, or more properly, Hubert Marsh,
dictated letter to Miss Pratt, which
promptly brought ''The Crime of Godfrey
Halsmere' to be copied. Mr.. Marsh stood
over Montgomery while he did it, and
when it was wrapped up, fat, it was put
in the associate EDITORS desk till that gem
tleman saw fit to return it.
"Have you returned Elizabeth Pratt
Tasting story" Halsey asked one day.
"Her name is Elizabeth Hastings Pratt"
said Bert, putting beautiful point on his
lead pencil. ~ think shall deliver the
manuscript on Saturday. l have to pass
through her town on my way to Sister
Annals. want to prove to you that E.
H. p. is young, beautiful and dimpled."
'I'll wager anything you like that she
is tall, thin, and forty-two."
"Make it a hat, if you don't mind; 1
shall want one soou.'
Ozone. Monday morning you will re-
turn quite chapfallen, l shouldn't mind
having a hat myself"
On Saturday afternoon Mr.. Hubert
Marsh arrayed himself with even more
than his usual care, and set out for Sister
Annals intendin" 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 hammock, and he wished the editor
could be there to see how pretty she was
After moment, however, he felt quite
resigned to his chiefs absence.
"Pardon me, but the maid directed me
here, " Beat b,-au with His most engaging
smile. II am the associate editor or the
Epoch aud MS ! Yves passing through your
town, thought would leave yonr manu-
script-to make sure that it did not get
rolled ag,tu he ad'ea pla,fully.
80, Aaa yoa have twncd it, Miss
Pratt claped her hand, in tragic fashion.
81 did SO hope that something might hap
pen to make YOU keep it. ! should thinI;
you might have kept it. This may seem
like u thrilling matter TO you, but it means
a great deal to me. need money so
much" She slipped ont of the hammock
and stood before Bert in a duplicating