The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-04-13

\ AZ S~NS
! most remarkable story-in the authors
opinion. %
clock here, Sho,ely. " cried Gibberts
angrily. "you mustn't talk to nee like
that. I'm 10 unknown author, fact Of
which you are very we'll aware. don't
need to peddle my goods.
.'Then why do you come here lectur-
ing me?''
ssFor your own good, Shorely, my
boy,' said Gibbe1ts, calming down as
rapidly as he had fared up. He was a
most uncertain man. "For your own
good, and if you don't take the story
some cne else Will It will make the
fortune Of the paper that secures it.
Now you read it while wait Here it
is, typewriter at one and tkreepence q
thousand words, all to save your blessed
eyesight. -
| Shcrely took the manuscript and lit
the gas, for it was getting dark. Gio-
berts sat down fer awhile, but soon be-
gan to pace the rcore, to Shorely's man
ifest annoyance. Net content with this,
he picked up the poker and noisily
stirred the fire.
s'For heavens sake, sit down, Glib
berts, and be quiet, cried Shorely at
last.
Gibberts seized The poker as if it
were weapon and glared at the editor.
ST won't sit down, and / will make
just as much noise as / want to- he
roared. AS he stood there defantly
Shorely saw glcam of insanity in his
eye.
COB, very well. then. . said Shorely,
continuing to read the story.
For moment Gibberts stood grasp
ing the poker by the middle; then he
flung it with a clatter on the fender,
and sitting down gazed moodily into
the fire without moving until Shorely
had turned the last rage.
'sWell, said Gibberts, arousing from
his reverie. what do you think of it?''
tits a good story, Gibberts. All
your stories are good,'' said the editor
carelessly.
Gibberts started to his feet and swore.
DO you mean to say, he thunder
ed, 4that you see nothing in that story
different from any OF any one else ev-
er wrote? Hang it, Shorely, you would
not know a good story il you met it
coming up Fleet street. Can't you see
that story is written with mans
hearts blood?"
Shorely stretched out his legs and
thrust his hands far down in lis trou-
sers pockets.
1t may have been written as you
say, although I thought you called my
attention moment ago to its typewrit-
ten character. !"
.Don't be fippant, shorely,' said
Gibberts, relapsing again into melan-
choly. You didn't like the story then?
You didn't see anything unusual in it
purpose, force, passion, life, death,
nothing?"
ssThere is death enough at the end.
My objection is that there is too much
blood and th1nder in it. Such a tragedy
could never happen. No man could go
to country house and slaughter every
one in it. It's absurd. %
Gibberts sprang to his feet and began
to pace the room excitedly. Suddenly
lie stopped before his friend, towering
over him, his long ulster making him
look taller than he really was.
"Did I ever tell you the tragedy of
my life-how the property that would
have kept NE from what has''-
tOf course you have, Gibberts. Sit
down. You've told it to everybody-to
me several times. .
How my cousin cheated me oot off,
"Certainly-out of land and the no
man you loved
ssOh, told you that, did I:'' said
Gibberts, apparently abashed at the
others familiarity with the circum-
stances. He sat down and rested his
head in his hands There was long
silence between the two, which was
finally broken by Gibherts saying:
$50 you don't care about the story?"
"Oh, don't say that I can see it is
the story of your own life with an i'm
aginary and sanguinary ending. ;"
ooh, you saw that, did you?''
eyes. How much do you want fcr
it?''
Fifty pounds."
JWhat:''
Fifty pounds. tell you. Are you
deaf? And / want tie money now"
''Bless your innocent heart, I can buy
longer story than that from the great
est author living for less than ESQ.
Gibberts, you're crazy /"
Gibberts looked up anquiringly, as if
that thought had never occurred to him
before He seemed rather taken with
the idea 1t would explain many things
which had pczzled both himself and his
friends. He meditated upon the matter
for few moments. but at last shook his
| head.
''No, shorely,'' be said. with sigh,
'tI'm not insane, though goodness
knows / have had enough to drive me
mad I don't seem to have the luck of
some people. I haven't the talent for