Evening journal., 1899-08-29
JUST A WOMAN'S WAY.


few really interesting ones of his library.
Il was more than anyone should expect Of
him to see him at such time, and he was
on the point Of bidding her wait, if she
chose, but with the assurance that the de.
lay would be long one, when he noticed the
card
The lady-in-waiting had written on her
card: About story. Urgent"
'She hasn't got the copy with her"
mot unless it's in her pocket"
"Well," said the editor, with an air Of
sanity resignation, "tell her that I'm very
busy, but if she can say what she wants in
five minutes, III see her"
Wearily he removed his feet from the Ia.
bic, put on his coat, threw the remainder
Of his cigarette into the fireplace, opened
the window, secreted the copy Of Notre
Campagne that he had been reading. and
set to work on pile of proofs BY that time
Tomlin had returned, announcing Miss
Sands.
She was 35, and size was plain. Moreover,
she was as nervous as o cat in a new home.
From the handwriting on the card he had
really expected something better, and he
was mad at himself for permitting her to
/ bother him. She was nothing more than
the ordinary woman who came to him day
after day with their stories and their poetry,
none of which he wanted Wouldn't this
class Of females ever learn that they were
only wasting their time and his by their
calls? He was afraid they wouldn't.
She said Woodworking" in a choked
whisper.
pray be seated" said the editor. He
| pushed over basket piled with manuscripts
to Tomlin. "Send all those back" Then he
turned to Miss Sands again, and asked what
he could do for her.
81 wanted to ask what you would think Of
a story of japanese life"
"lm afraid that sort Of thing is a. good
deal overdone nowadays. They've got Jap
series running in Busters Magazine, and of
course we've had Sir Edwin and a whole lot
more. No. The public's sick of it. ! don't
think we should care to see it. Sorry you've
had the trouble"
ooh, not at ALI I'm glad"
81 don't quite understand"
"You see, l want the story to be refused.
It's my sister Caroline. Thanks so much
for promising to send it back"
but wait a minute-I gave no such
promise. 1t is part of an editors duty to
consider carefully everything that is sub.
mitted-everything Besides, why should
you be so anxious that your sister should be
disappointed"
"You see, you don't know her. Her be-
setting sin is conceit. She's younger than
I am, and-well, she's rather good looking.
She's been spoit by having too much fuss
made about her. If you could hear her
Dragging sometimes Pm sure you'd agree
with me. Really, it's often difficult enough
for me to live with her as it is, and if she
had a story accepted by the Latest Light she
would become quite intoierable."
@l}ut really said the editor, with superb
ority, "these family disputes have nothing
to do with me. Pm simply here to-"
ooh, yes, of counsel only mention it to
explain why / want you to refuse her silly
rubbish"
GLOW do you know it's silly rubbish"
I've read it, and it wouldn't do for you at
ALL
Really, Miss Sands" said the editor, with
growing severity, "you must leave me to be
the Judge Of that. cannot permit anybody
to dictate to me what l am to accept OF
what / am to refuse. Have you any spesial
training which entities YOU to criticise your
sisters work at allg It's remarkable-thai
belief which almost every woman seems to
, have, that she is qualified TO judge Literary
work. Are you quite sure that you know the
difference between silly rubbish and a work
Of genius"
Anyhow, it,shows that she has no imag
lnation-her having made it Japanes'
! story"
, 81 don't follow that argument"
, 'No, hadn't told you. Ny sister Carolin,
lived in Japan with Japanese family fol
some years. She's only using up what sh'
saw and heard there, and that's not imag
nation"
cat any rate it makes it the more probable
I that the story will be interesting"
! Il can't see that She got to know thing
about the Japanese women-well, reollyl''
4 CAS- bad as that"
! Miss Sands wriegled uneasily. I'D rather
4 not talk about it. All want is just YOU
/ promise that you won't accept the story
You know the public don't care about Jap
anese things"
"Once foreall," said the editor, "will yol
give up trying to teach me my business
I What is the use Of telling me that the publi
! don't care for japanese topics when Bust
: er's Magazine is going in for them hot? D.
: you think they don't know the public tast
. through and through at Busters place
What about the success Of the 'Geisha
a What about-but, really, lose all patience
!. The attempt to make an editor refuse stor.
70 nhNlcl1 oNilI ltAc1huA NAAAho "
is, Of course, utterly useless; it is also dis
e honest, and as the author happens to b
p your own sister, it is even verse than dis
= honest It's no good pleading; I've nothin
7 more to say to you"
! "Good-morning, then" said Miss Sands
e looking doleful. 81 didn't know you'd tax
It like that"
When she got into the street the doleful
@ ness passed of She turned into the mex
= A. b. c. shop for bun and glass Of milk
J. and looked as pleased as if she had accom-
u plished something.
y "Tomlin," said the editor, "when manu-
script comes from a Miss Caroline Sands
= It will be a story on a japanese subject
y don't send it up with the rest for Mr.. Garne
:, to read but let ne have it at once. wi
'e read that one myself"
And in due course the story was brought
y and the editor noted with pleasure that
J was just about the right length.
= The story was neither too good to leav
y I. out nor too bad to pat in. It was meiiocrl
y and as a rule that editor did not love med
y ocrty. However, he accepted it at once
~ and wrote TO Miss Caroline Sands to sa
that he had done So If he had been tol