The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-06
CHE Bott1e Reading Circle
: THE tale OF A REJECTED MANUSCRIPT. ;
Len Grove, in the Buffalo News.

Len Grove, in the Buffalo News.
I'VE all have our troubles said
the rejected MS. as II lay on the ed
itor's desk, and futtered its leaves
with the aid of a gentle breeze, that
was blowing in through the open win
dow.
Whats that. what do you say?" in
quired the small English paper cut
ter awakening from a sound slum-
Der, and falling over against the ink
stand with tiny crash. II beg your
pardon, were you speaking to me?"
II was saying that we all have our
little troubles"
"Oh, yes, to be sure, quite sure" re-
turned the paper cutter.
I've had my share" continued the
rejected MS. But though l am a very
much despsed thing, have travelled
considerable and seen a great deal of
the world"
II dare say you have" the paper
cutter replied. l can easily imagine
that you have
Il have visited nearly all the prin-
cipal cities from Boston to Denver, as
far north as Duluth, and south as far
as New Orleans. And though l have
never been printed, ! have been read
by some of the most noted
editors of the age. l have had a num-
ber of queer experience, too; by the
way, do you recolect that holdup on
the @. & G. a short time ago?"
II do very WELL" answered the paper
cutter.
1T has always been mystery how
the robbers obtained access to the ex-
press car without damaging the car
in the least. But bless you, it was easy
enough. l could have explained it all
for l was there and saw the whole
transaction"
How interesting" remarked the pa
per cutter, and all the different arti-
cles that Uttered the editors desk mur-
mered, How very interesting"
THE messenger was in league with
the robbers" said the rejected MS. TT
was 6 combination mail and express
car. We had just stopped a little while
before. at small station, where an
other mail bag was taken on. l was on
my way home from New Orleans at
the time. and was being sorted, with
Il lot of other through mail for the
east. The mail clerk was busy with
the letters and ! saw the express mes
senger oren the end door and admit
two masked men. They bound the
ilSoScHSt' manu- anu lOtl, just lOF dp-
pearance's sake, and then made short
work of the mail clerk. / was very
much frightened, | can tell you. for
never expected to see home again; but
the mail was not disturbed. 1t was a
very startling experience, though"
Il should think it was a startling ex-
perience," said the paper cutter ex-
Citedly, while from all the other ar
;,l-
so. l should think so, indeed"
The rejected MS. was in 4 reminis-
cent mood. II shall never forget when
l was written" it said, reflectively. 1T
was about five months ago. My author
is very nice woman. with two beau
tiful children. / learned afterwards
that she had married quite young and
not very happily. Her husband died
about year ago, leaving her with only
a thousand or so to live on. This would
not last long SO she set about to earn
more in order to supprt herself and
children.
''As she was of literary turn, she
decided to write 1t was her first effort
and such pains as she took with me-
] was written and rewritten, erased
and scratched out, until | began to
think tha: | should never be finished
] have known her to set up half the
night, writing one of my pages, half
a dozen times, while she held the
youngest child in her arms most of the
time. Such patience as she possessed
And even after l was written to her
satisfaction | was gone over carefully
all my rs" dotted, my "t's" crossed,
the tops of my as" Joined together
and my "os" rounded out, until look
ed very beautiful, indeed. She was
very proud of me. too, and looked at
me fifty times a day. At last she pro-
cured large envelope, and tying me
up with a pretty pink ribbon, l was
placed therein, and after inclosing the
necessary stamps, for my return in
case | was not used, the envelope was
sealed and addressed to Charles A.
Dana of the New York Sun.
"Of course. ! felt no little trepida-
tion at the prospect of being presented
to this great editor for the first time,
and ! so young, too; but l had no
cause for uneasiness."
"No?" said the paper cutter inqu!r-
ingly.
mo! Why, gracious me! he never
even saw me- let alone read me. They
knew what | was the moment they laid
eyes on me, and / was sorted out of the
mail, with a number of others of my
kind, and handed over to a young man,
whose business it was 10 read us. And
I'll stay right here, that I verify be-
lieVe that to that same young man
owe all my subsequent misfortune.
He was out of sorts that morning,
l could see that plainly. In the first
place he made fun of my pink rib
band. Then he swore at me because
i was not typewritten he skipped
through my pages like a race horse,
and missed some of my finest passages.
l was rejected, of course and / firmly
believe that he placed secret mark
on me somewhere so that anyone who
read me would know that l had been
presented for publication and had been
rejected. l have grounds for my be-
lief, too, for each and every editor
to whom | have been sent has in
Variably made the same remark: HIN
not the first appearance, by any
means or words to that effect"
How unfortunate" said the paper
IVA q IA EN - n "a ~