The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-06
A tAIA EACHANGE.

Lawrence Give, the celebrated novelist,
was growing old, and his imagination was
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
portly gentleman said to a clerk impris-
oned behind a window labeled g Inquiries
ST 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 story?"
''Ne,'' said the novelist, taking the seat
the editor bowed him into. MAY 1 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, chat
is, if they have not been returned"
When the novelist reached his waiting
carriage, he handed slip of paper to the
! coachman.
''Drive 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
unO1uS the TOOA4 u any particular SCAAe4Atf
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 shutting
the door was opened two or three inches
| and Mr. Give caught glimpse of the bag
gard face of young man with unkemps
hair, coat buttoned tight to the throat, and
the freless, empty stump of pipe in his
| mouth.
81 wish to see Mr.. Stafford
q" That's my name, " said the young man.
"Wait moment and 1 will come out to
you on the landing
''No,'' said Give, ST win go inside We
! will shut the door"
The elegantly dressed Mr.. Give stepped
into the room-and room more squalid
even than he had anticipated. On small,
rough table, a candle stuck in bottle
/ burned. There were pen and ink beside il
| and some sheets of manuscripts. A bed
stood in a corner and a square box beside
the table.
1.-The box or the bed?'' asked the host
airily.
81 shall sit down on the box if may, -
answered Mr.. Give.
'Then III sit on the bed said the
young man. az take it this is not a social
visit. So, may ask again what is your
| business with rne?'
MAY 1 first have the pleasure Of offer
| ing you cigar?'' 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.
gin our negotiations with burnt offer
ing, for 1 believe the suggestion which
caused me to make this visit came from
the 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.
81 say. You look more like Lawrenca
Give, the novelist, than you do like sa-
TAM
"My friends tell me there is likeness.
may return the compliment, if it be one,
by venturing 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 worl, then.
Are you an editor? No such luck, I 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 a manuscript Of yours I was
| struck by the remarkable limitations of tbs
writings to MIR. Give"
Eyes, cried the young man, springina
to his feet and pacing up and down tbs
room as the other had done a short time
before, shifting his hands together. YES.
OF the Give of 30 years ago. Once Law
renee Give was writer. Today he is !
cuInberer of the ground, pouring forth
trash that no sane man would care to read,
a stumbling block at the feet of better
men
"Clive has a NAME" continued the nov
elist, (which doubtless he does notvalue
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, will now admit
that I am he
GOOD heavensr' cried the young mar
aghast, stopping short in his walk
do not let US hatter each other,'' tia
novelist said. 81 am man with name
which cannot now justify, and yet with
a vain dishonesty that leads me to attempt
| it. You are convicted plagiarist through
necessity. am the devil tempting you,
and you succumb. You are the devil
tempting me, and succumb.
81 ask you to leave this wretched hole
and be nominally my private secretary.
From now on till the day die you shall
write my stories and I 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 n contract sc
our compact must be verbal one My
carriage is at the door. Will you Gomez
The literary critics shortly after were de
lighted to record their opinion that the
veteran Lawrence Give had quite returned
to his old form again.-Luke Sharp in De
troit Free Press.