Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-22
BROMLEY GIBBETTs' STORY
Copyright. 1897. by the Anthnr.1
by Robert Barr.

comfortable. A few pictures decorated
the walls, mostly black and white
drawings by artists who were so unfor-
tunate as to be compelled to work for
The Sponge on the cheap. Magazines
and papers were Uttered all about.
chiefly American in their origin. for
Shorely had been brought up in the ed
ltorial school which teaches that it is
cheaper to steal from foreign publica
ton than waste good money on original
contributions. You clipped out the
story, changed New York to London,
Boston or Philadelphia to Manchester
or Liverpool, and there you were
Shorely's theory was that the public
was fool and didn't know the differ.
ence. Some Of the greatest journalistic
successes in London proved the fact, he
claimed, yet The Sponge frequently
bought stories from well known au-
thors and Dragged greatly about it.
Shorely's table was Uttered with
manuscripts, but the attention of the
great editor was not upon them. He
sat IN his wooden armchair, with his
gaze on the fire and a frown on his
brow. The Sponge was not going well,
and he feared he would have to adopt
some Of the many prize schemes that
were such a help to pure literature
elsewhere, or offer 81 900 insurance
tied up in such a way that it would
look lavishly generous to the constant
reader. and yet be impossible to collect
If disaster really occurred.
In the middle of his meditations
clerk entered and announced Mr..
Bromley Gibberts.
Tell him I'm busy now. Tell him
I'm engaged" said the editor, while
the perplexed frown deepened on his
brow.
The clerks conscience, however, was
never burdened with that message, for
Gibberts entered, with long ulster flap
ping about his heels.
That's all right" said Gibberts,
waving his hand at the boy, who stood
with open mouth, appalled, at the intru-
sion. "You heard what Mr.. Shorely
said. He's engaged. Therefore let no
one enter. Get out"
The boy departed, closing the door
after him. Gibberts turned the key in
the lock, then sat down.
There, he said. Nov we can talk
unmolested, Shorely. 1 should think
you would be pestered to death by all
manner Of idiots who come in and in
terrupt you"
II am" said the editor shortly.
Take my plan and lock your door.
Communicate with the outer offices
through speaking tube. see you are
down in the mouth, so l have come to
cheer you up. I've brought you story,
my boy"
Shorely groaned.
my dear Gibberts," he said, 1--WE
have now
"Oh, yes; know all about that You
have matter enough on hand to run the
paper for the next 10 years. If this is a
comic story, you are buying only seri-
GUS stuff. If this is tragic, humor is
what you need. OF course the up and
down truth is that you are short Of
money and can't pay my price. The
Sponge is failing; every body knows
that Why can't you speak the truth,
Shorely, to me at leastf If you practiced
an hour day and took lessons-from
me. for instance-you would be able in
a month to speak several truthful SEN
fences one after the other. -
The editor laughed bitterly.
"You are complimentary, he said.
"I'm not. Try again, Shorely. Say
I'm boorish ass. ="
well, you are. "
"There, you see how easy it is. Prao-
tice is everything. Now about this
story. Will you"-
II will not. AS you are not an ad-
vertiser 1 don't mind admitting to you
that the paper is going down. You see,
it comes to the same thing. We haven't
the money, as you say, 30 what is the
use of talking?"
Gibberts hitched his chair closer to
the editor and placed his hand on the
others knee. He went on earnestly.
"Now is the time to talk, Shorely. |
In a little while it will be too late. |
You will have thrown up The Sponge. |
Your great mistake is trying to ride |
two horses, each facing different di- |
rection. 1t can't be done. my boy. Make
up your mind whether you are going to |
be thief or an honest man. That's the |
nrst step.
What do you mean?"
lyon know what l mean. Go in for |
a paper that will be entirely stolen prop |
erty or for one made up of purely orig
inal matter"
"We have a great deal of original
matter in The Sponge"
"Yes, and that's what l object to-
Have it all original or all stolen. Be |
fish or fowl. At least 100 men a week
see a stolen article III The Sponge which |
they have read elsewhere. They then |
believe it is all stolen and you lose
them. That isn't business, so l want to
sell you one original tale which will |
prove to be the most remarkable story |
written in England this year"
"Oh, they all are" said Shorely |
YEARLY. every story sent to us is the |
most remarkable story-in the authors
opinion"
Look here, Shorely. cried Gibberts
angrily, "you mustn't talk to me like |
that. I'm no unknown author, fact of |
which Won ara varv wall auara dom 4 |