Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-05
SUBSTITUTION.

xNSC~~~c~N~
Matthew elder, editor of The Inner
Circle. had gone out for half an hour to
synchronize his watch, and his assistant,
j. Graham Champnies, reigned tempo
rarily in his stead.
A clerk had just laid on Champnies'
desk the form whicha visitor had filled
up:
"Name-Miss Cynthia Page. To See
The Editor. Business-Private. Date
$780,"
"Well, I'll see her." said Champnies.
He had seen the name of Cynthia Page
in good magazines appended to curious
and interesting stories. ..77s--s'-'
He was not i'll pleased when the clerk
showed her in to find that she had
youth and beauty on pale and mystical
lines. j. Graham Champnies found him
self hoping that Matthew Elder, after
synchronizing his watch, would find it
necessary to go and see man about
dog-or, at any rate. would delay his re-
turn.
Il am speaking to the editor?" said
Miss Page, a little doubtfully.
'@Ihe actual editor, Mr.. Elder, is not in
at present, but l have full power to act
for him."
81 see." She was still in doubt.
/ "Pray be assured of it. can make
contracts with you, accept stories from
you, sign checks for you, SO il you have
anything to propose
"Oh, it's not that! In fact, came in
consequence of a proposition which he
/! had already made to me-"
"Well, | shall be very glad to carry on
anything that he has begun. AS rule
| he mentions these things to me, but this
! time am in the dark"
= She smiled mysteriously. "But you
can't be sure that you would wish to
carry on what he has begun"
As Mr.. Elderis the supreme authority
here, should nave no choice. But even
if had, what you suggest is extremely
unlikely
why unlikely? No two men can have
minds exactly alike. It's such funny
arrangement you hive here"
ut works well enough in practice We
both know the character of our paper
and what our public wants. say that
it is unlikely that should be unwilling
to carry on Whatever Mr.. Elder has be-
gun, for this reason and also because :
know and admire your work"
ooh, do you think it's any good?"
"Of course do"
"Speakinr frnnkly?.
"Speakinr frankly. it's full enough of
faults; some of it seems to have run
away with you and got. all over the place.
But it's horribly interesting all the same.
You see, it's original"
"Oh, yes" she assented, II am oriri.
nal, IL / were not. / shouldn't he here.
"That sounds cryptic" he said. "Pos.
sibly / shall understand it when know
the nature of Mr.. Elders proposal. he
wants some stories from your"
"No. no."
"Then what is it?"
"Do YOU know. that am afraid l
can't tell YOU"
Every well, then, there's nothing more
to be said Mr.. Elder Ia ont Mt nresent
/ You'd better call nrain. I sunnose Won
think it would make some difference
whether Mr.. Elder went ON with this
business or / did y,
"I'm sure it .would-the greatest diff.
ference
.You think shouldn't do as well?'
Not as well. You'd do better, Infinite.
ly better. Oh, 1 must CO." She blushed,
arose, goodbyed and faded out of the Of.
J. nee,
Ten minutes later Mr.. Matthew Elder
middle aged, bald and cheerful. saunter.
ed into the room with his hands in hi,
pockets.
"Well. Bill, Everything nil right ?"
NO" said Champnies shortly. still irri
tated BY his interview with Cynthia
Page. "Ouart into n pint not Plugged
up with ads. and Rowse has lust sent NJ
that he'll want another half pnpe. W.
shall have to leave over everything that,l
wait and some things that WON'T
"Ah. Won don't keen n fight enough
hand on Rowse."
\ "Step in and tackle him yourself
Here. this woman called to nee Won
wouldn't tell me her business"
Matthew Elder took the paper slim anG
sank down in a chair. -
bill, this is rather bad. / ought IL
have been in. What with nv unfor
tunate enthusiasms and nv wretchef
memory, | shall get myself into trouble
met this girl two or three times :.
year ago; never gave her anothe,
thought till | came on story bv he,
that was perfectly marni6cent.oh' hor
ribly good! -probably the hest story tbo,
has been written this century. i dasbe,
off letter to her Mt once and so worked
myself up about it that I said, to SHOW