Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-03-17

1
to the usual mark. There was. how
ever, Just one thing that somewhat sur
prised me. That was the story con-
cluded from last week. 1t struck me
as being-well, rather involved toward
the end"
II regret that 1t was" replied Hugh,
land am to blame for that. Unfortun-
ately there had to be slight alteration
toward the end on account of an ac-
cident; that is. some OF the concluding
pages were missing"
'Missing!" exclaimed Mr.. Page "You
don't say so. Well, how did you man
age it?'
"Oh, played author myself" ans
wered Hugh, with grim smile. II
regret the result was no BETTER"
What, my dear boy-you wrote the
end? Why, you're a treasure, jewel.
thought you capable, of course, but
scarcely thought you equal to that, not
being in your line. I'm thinking Of
looking up successor for some time in
the future, and am glad to know where
/ may let my mantle fall"
1T was abominable," here Hugh
could not help but put in, his endeavors
to say the right thing from two points
of view proving a serious task. 'I'd
rather fix up everything else on the
paper than do another love story.
know, besides, that the writer will
never forgive me, which makes 1t
worse"
"Oh. was there any unpleasantness? ?"
asked Mr.. Page, hastily. "Of course
we don't want anything of that kind.
Authors are very touchy and can make
good deal of trouble sometimes"
Hugh's face had fallen decidedly dur
ing these last remarks, and he saw that
he stood poor chance of advancement
If his chief knew how very unsatisfac-
tory to the author his conclusion to the
story had been. But Miss Somers also
had caught the hint and now turned
charming face to Mr.. Page.
Indeed Mr. Page" she said, sweetly,
"you said you would leave it to me to
Judge, and l assure you Mr.. Elliot's
part Of the story was charming, and so
like the up-to-date story. / must say
was exceedingly interested in reading
make no complaints. More than likely
the writer forgot to send the manu-
script complete, anyhow. Authors are
so careless. / think Mr.. Elliot should
he stood poor chance of advancement
ment for his ability"
so be it, then" agreed Mr.. Page,
cheerfully, and walked away, leaving
the two young people stranded together
at some distance from their party,
which had moved on during the con-
versation.
by a mutual impulse, as soon as Mr..
Page was gone, they glanced furtively
at each other, and what each saw in
the others face must have been reas-
surfing, for, without more ado, both
Immediately dropped their dignity and
broke into such hearty, good-natured
laugh at the turn the whole thing had
taken that it would have been impos-
sible after that to regain their dis
lance, and made them feel like old ac-
quaintances at once.
do you remember what you said
to me the first time / ever saw you?"
he asked, without further preliminar-
les.
81 said a lot of things, didn't 1?
Some hateful ones"
Never mind them. But you said,
too. that you believed in love stories
ending the right way. I'm thinking
of case where your ending could be
used beautifully"
but thought you liked two endings,
like one of Rudyard Kipling's stories,
and 1 believe you couldn't think Of
any more. My ending might do for
one, supposing there was such case.
and"
LET us suppose such case. Go
on
well, yours might do for the other,
and you might have Nosmo to sing.
See; here he is
"Oh, bother Nosmo!"
"And the heroine swooning, and the
villain-that was what you called my
hero, believe"
I'm this story I'm thinking of, the
villain and the lover are one, so one
ending would be enough"
1T seems to be rather involved, too"
"Then let me untangle it, Ruth, and,
since my miserable ending was pub
lished, let us live out your happy one
together. That is the use / want to
make of it. and that will be far better
than having it published"
Here the Villain bNked so much in
earnest that only one ending seemed
at all possible, and Ruth answered, try
ing to speak very innocently and fail
ing dismally.
"Of course it's pity not to make
some use of it. If you think my end
ing better than yours"
Never mind finishing your sentence,
either, Ruth" said Hugh, gladly. II
do think yours betterthan mine. But
IL I had never written mine, perhaps
we could never have lived yours as now
we shall. So you see'there is some
thing to be said for twoSendings."
"But don't know, Siegan Ruth, with
one feeble effort to resist the irresis-
tible.
ooh, never mind, do. I'm a full
fledged editor now, and am supposed to
know all about love stories"
Whether you do or not" added
Ruth, saucily.
But here the villain takes matters In
his own hands and the story becomes
hopaIaco1x fpvo1vad -Cbica RaCord