Evening journal., 1899-07-11
JUST A WOMAN'S WAY.
10 HE sAID.s ob.erved 1imIin :. i.

- out, she had nothing much to do to-
day. and should wait until you caole IN"
The editor wheeled about IN his char
with an inpatient gesture OF annoyance.
Why should the rabble annoy him at a time
when he was interested IN book, one OF the
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, IT she
chose, but with the assurance that the de
lay would be long one when he noticedthe
card
The lady-in-waiting had written on her
card: About a story. Urgent"
"She hasn't got the copy with her?"
Not unless it's in her pocket"
"Well, said the editor, with an air II
sanity resignation, tell her that Am YER,
busy, but if she can say what she wants In
five minutes, III see her"
YEARLY he removed his feet from the IN.
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 chat time
Tomlin had returned, announcing Miss
Sands.
She was 30, and size was plain Moreover.
she was as nervous as q catin 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 dav
after day with their stories aud 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
callsy He was afraid they wouldn't
She said "Good-morning" in choked
whisper
pray be seated" said the editor. He
pushed over a basket piled with manuscripts
to Tomlin. "Send all those back" Then he
turned to Miss Sands again. and asked wha..
he could do for her.
Il wanted to ask what you would tsinkbf
a story Of japanese life"
''Pm afraid that sort Of thing is a good
deal overdone nowadays They've got a ,Iap
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"
oh not at all I'm glad"
Il don't quite understand"
"You see want the story to be refused.
It's my sister Caroline. Thanks 30 much
Tor promising 70 SEND II Dack.
But wait a minute-I gave no such
promise It 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
am, and-well, she's rather good looking
She's been spoilt by having too much fuss
made about her. II 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 il, and Il she
had a story accepted by the Latest Light She
would become quite intolerable."
"But really" said the editor, with super.
ority, "these family disputes have nothing
to do with me. I'm simply here to-"
"Ob, yes, of counsel / only mention It to
explain why want you to refuse her silly
rubbish"
How do you know it's silly rabbishs"
I've read it, and it wouldn't do for you at
ALL"
Really, Mss Sands" said the editor, With
rrowing severity, "you must leave me IL be
the Judge Of that. cannot permit anybody
to dictate TO me what / am to accept .or
what am to refuse. Have you any special
training which entities you to criticise your
sisters work at all? It's remnrkable-thal
belief which almost every woman seems 10
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, il shows that she has no imag
ination-her having made il a japanese
story"
IL don't follow that argument"
"No, hadn't told you. My sister Caroline
lived in Japan with Japanese fcnily for
some years. She's only using up what she
saw and heard there, and that's not imag
nation"
"At any rate it makes it the more probable
that the story will be interesting"
Il can't see that. She got TO know things
about the japanese women-well, really"
"As bad as thatg"
Miss Sands wriggled uneasily. "Id rather
not talk about Il. All / want is just your
promise that you wont accept the story
You know the public don't care about Jap
anese things"
"Once for all, said the editor, "will you
give up trying to teach me my businessf
What is the use Of telling me that the public
don't care for japanese topics when Bust.
ers Magazine is going in for them hotY DO
you think they don't know the public taste
through and through at Busters placey
What about the success Of the 'Geisha .
What about--hut, really, lose an patience.
The attempt to make an editor refuse a story
10 satisfy some personal grudge Of your own
Is, Of course, utterly useless; it is also dis
honest, and as the author happens TO be
your own sister, it is even verse than dis
honest. It's no good pleading; I've nothing
more 20 say TO you"
"Good-morning, then" said Miss Sands,
looking doleful. 81 didn't know you'd take
It like that"
When she got into the street the doleful.
ness passed of. She turned into the next
A. b. c. shop for bun and glass Of milk,
and looked as pleased as If she had accom-
piished something.
'Tomlin," said the editor, when a manu-
script comes from Miss Caroline Sands
it will be a story on a japanese subject
don't send it up with the rest for Mr.. Garner
to read, but let NE have it at once. ! will
read that one myself"
And in due course the story was brought,
and the editor noted with pleasure that il
was lust about the right length.
ri .~.t1 -. "A -.