The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-09-16
AGAINST His Will.

The editor was disgusted and no
wonder!
1t was the dull season, and the Scru:
tator was compelled to resort to much
padding in order to fill the daily meas
ure expected by it's subscribers; it was
even obliged to print copious extracts
from other publicat:ons-a thing only
to be done as a last resort by any
| paper of spirit! Yet as this particular
time a celebrity, a real celebrity. came
for a few days stay to ~Oakhampton,
and refused to be interviewed.
Why he came was a mystery, but
that he had come was a fact. though
from the EDITORS point Of view he
might just as well have stayed away.
The ceiebrity's ulobliging disposition
OF the subject of Interviewing had pre-
coded him; he was perhaps the only
man of note in two continents who had
not submitted to the ordeal. In mo-
ments Of self-depreciation he was
won to say that was his greatest
claim to distinctions; but even his rep
utatiOn had not daunted the hopes Of
our editor, who felt convinced that the
Surliest dlSinclination must give way
before the charm and tact of the most
valuable member of the Scrutator's
staff. But the tact, the harm had no
opportunity of producing their usual
effect; they night as well have been
ncn-consistent. Celebrity, from the
privacy of a hotel sitting rom, sent
down a curt message of absolute re-
fuSal.
No wonder, then, as we said before,
the editor was disguised.
AS he meditated on the provoking
ness of things in general and Of the
celebrity in particular, he found his
thoughts running into such eloquent
and well rounded periods that he in
stinctively drew pen and paper toward
him and wrote an editorial, which, if
the celebrity had read it, would have
made him feel very small indeed.
The article clearly proved that what
h Public demanded it must have flor
the Public spelt with a capital z was
as sacred TO the editor as humanity
spelt with a capital HI is to the fol-
lowers of Augusta Comte. The indi-
Vidual as such exists not for his own
sake, but for the sake of the Public in
one case. OF of Humanity in the other.
The article further demonstrated that
celebrities would not exist without a
Public. tHow could any one become
celebrated on a deserted island, for in
stanceD If, then, it is to the Public
that the celebrity owes his being, and
the Public manifest a curiosity as to
the opinions on things in general or
any celebrity in particular, the Public
has a right to know these opinions, and
how could it know them better than
through the columns of the S%cutator?
But our editor was not always in
TINS ~olspleaSed frame of mind. AS n
rule he was the most genial of men,
and such he looked that same evening
as he sat smoking his cigar on the gal
lery of Il handsome house in Clarence
emu His companion was his niece,
a nice young girl, with a pretty ace
and figure, and a miscellaneous look in
her dark eyes which was particularly
Fascinating. She was discoursing about
the dearest wish of her heart-that she
should become a regular writer for the
S%cl1ltator.
But her uncle poo-poohed the idea;
she was too young, too inexperienced,
too pretty, and at any rate it was i'm
possible to become a writer by simply
talking about it. Why continued he,
do you not write something and show
me h you can dol'
Il have written several stories, as
you know, but you won't look at
them" replied the girl.
"Oh, III h Scrutator does not want
stories. Write me an article on some
subject which will interest the public"
But what subjects do interest the
public, uncle, dear? You only laugh at
at me if | suggest one
ON, come noW-you can't expect a
poor editor to suggest subjects for you
as well us read yOur articles. Make
your choice. The world is all be-
fore you where to choose"
That's just what beWildors me: it
is 80 hard to choose. If only | had
something definite to go If
(coaxingly) you would just look at one
of my Stories"
But the editor ~vouchsafed no reply
to this, so his niece went on: NV
firm conviction Is that | should make
a splendid interviewer. l should en-
JOY it. too. AT college I'could ALWAYS
get the girls to tell me anything !
wanted to know
The editor laughed.
why not become a detective q,
once!" said he.
II wish l could" sighed the girl. But
her uncle was not attending; he was
looking at a cyclist who was spinning
rapidly past the house.
That's the mani" he exclaimed:
"that's Camberton!"
"Oh. that man!!' replied Kittie. fol
she knew all about the editors griev.
ance with the celebrity, "he passes
here every day. l have met him sey.
eral times lately when have been out
for my morning ride. l wondered whl
he was"
"Well, must go now" said her un
Gle, as he glanced at his watch. Good
night. child and then, as an after
thought, tell you what, Kittie, if yor
can manage to interview Cambertnr
I'll do anything you like" and with q
laugh, as though he had made a tire
mendous joke, the editor departed
leaving Kittie to her thoughts. which
as the poet says of the thoughts OF
youth, were long, long thoughts"
II.