The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-02
A FAIR EXCHANGE.

failing. Youngsters were initiating his
style, but could not succeed without his
name, while he was passing out for want
of his pristine freshness. He sailed forth
to find one Of the aforesaid youngsters
At the Office of The Illustrated Blade a
portly gentleman said to clerk impris.
oned behind window labeled Inquiries"
II wish to see the editor"
A few minutes later Mr.. Canning him.
self came out bareheaded and exclaimed:
"Mr. Give, this is, indeed, pleasure.
Come in. Nothing wrong, hope. You
haven't come to tell me am to be disap.
pointed about the story2''
"No," said the novelist, taking the seat
the editor bowed him into. MAY I beg
you to violate editorial secrecy for once
and allow me to see some of the stories
that are limitations Of my own?"
Certainly" said Mr. Canning, THAI
is, if they have not been returned"
When the novelist reached his waiting
carriage, he handed a slip Of paper to the
coachman.
"Driye to that address," he said land
wait for me-"
1t was now dark and the coachman had
some difficulty in finding the correct num-
Der. There was even more difficulty In
finding the room of any particular tenant,
for no neighbor seemed to know another
by name; but at last Mr.. Lawrence Give,
somewhat out Of breath with the steep
climb and dark ascent, stood at the land
ing Of the top back room and raped at
the door.
After some delay and inside shuffiing
the door was opened two or three inches
and Mr.. Give caught a glimpse Of the bag
gard face of young man with unkempt
hair, coat buttoned tight to the throat, and
the flreless, empty stump Of pipe in his
mouth.
~ wish to see Mr. Stafford
"That's my name, said the young man.
"Wait q moment and will come out to
you on the landing"
NO." said Give, II will go inside. We
will shut the door.
The elegantly dressed Mr. Give stepped
into the room-and q room more squalid
even than he had anticipated On small,
rough table, candle stuck in bottle
burned There were pen and ink beside IL
and some sheets of manuscript. A bed
stood In o corner and @ square box beside
the table.
''The box or the bedp" asked the host
airily.
II shall sit down on the box if I may"
answered Mr. Give.
"Then I'll sit on the bed," said the
young man. IT take it this is not social
visit So, may ask again what Is your
business with mef"
MAY first have the pleasure of offer
ing you cigarY" said the novelist, reach
ing out his case,
Thanks, he said shortly, as if he could
not trust himself to further speech. He
lit the cigar at the suffering candle and
drew deep breath of satisfaction as he
tasted its quality.
at is WE'LL" said the novelist, "to be.
gin our negotiations with burnt offer.
ing, for believe the suggestion which
caused Inc to make this visit came from
tho father of fire himself, whom invoked
this afternoon"
"You mean the devil wish he would
come and make an offer to me-"
He has come for that purpose, replied
the novelist
II say. You look more like Lawrence
Give, the novelist, than you do like so.
tan"
my friends tell me there is a likeness.
l may return the compliment, If it be one,
by vcnturing the opinion that if you do
not look like Lawrence Give, you write
like him."
"Ah, " replied the young man coloring,
"you have seen some of my work, then.
Are you ali editorP No such luck, sup.
pose
mo such luck" echoed the novelist,
"but am acquainted with some members
of the profession, and one Of them allowed
me to read manuscript of yours. was
struck by the remarkable limitations Of the
writings to Mr.. Give"
"Yes, d" cried the young man, springing
to his feet and pacing up and down the
room as the other had done a short time
before, shifting his hands together. Eyes
OF the Give of 80 years ago. Once Law
renee Give was writer. Today he is q
cumberer Of the ground, pouring forth
| trash that no sane man would care to read
| n stumbling block at the feet of better
men"
| "Clive has name" continued the nov
| elist, (which doubtless he does not value
and would gladly exchange it for the quail
tiles you possess, taking the risk Of the
starvation. So that you may say nothing
| further about Mr.. Give which might EN-
barrass you afterward, l will now admit
that am he.
| Good hcavens!" cried the young man
aghast, stopping short in his walk.
''Do not let us flatter each other" the
| novelist said II am man with a name
which cannot now justify, and yet with
n vain dishonesty that leads me to attempt
it. You are u convicted plagiarist through
necessity. l am the devil tempting you,
and you succumb. You are the devil
tempting me, and l succumb
II ask you to leave this wretchcd hole
and be nominally my private secretary.
| From now on till the day die you shall
write my stories and shall put my name
to them. We will share the profits equally,
as honest devils should. | have no fam
ing pen to put signatures to contract, SO
| our compact must be verbal one. My
carriage is at the door Will you conner"
The literary critics shortly after were de-
lighted to record their opinion that the
veteran Lawrence Give had quite returned