The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-12
THE YOUNG WOMAN
WHO WRITES.
HER FIRST STORY.

In the first place the Individual men
toned above generally belongs to a good
family, has a fair education. and, last,
but not least, has been a prolific letter.
writer all her life.
One day a well-meaning friend remarks,
oh, Alice, you do write such lovely. in
teresting letters. I should think you
would write a, story. Alice laughs and
bushes at the very idea, but the mischief
is done.
A little later the seed takes root, and
she is scribbling oftener than usual. If
any member of the family approaches her
desk she hastily covers the precious papers
with letter started weeks ago to Belle
or Sue, as the case may be.
While the writing fits lasts she simply
loathes interruption and finds it difficult
to bring her mind down to mundane
things long enough 20 give advice in re-
gard to a circular ruffle on Ellen's dress
or crush collar on mothers new silk
waist.
At last they leave the room and she
gives a big sigh of relief as she returns
| to her story, but. to her dismay, she finds
that every idea has flown from her head
and she cannot write.
| When she commenced her MSS. the
words fairly flew from her pen she decid-
ed that she really had some talent and did
not think that authors had such a very
| hard time after ALL
But, now! she reads over what she has
| already written; sounds very nice so far,
but beyond! her mind is an absolute blank
| She thinks she is nervous and tired and
will wait till the inspiration comes again.
The next morning she arises, full of
activity, and feels just like writing" so
she assures herself. She refuses the de-
| lights of a shopping tour, she must abso-
lutely write some letters
Seats herself and takes out the precious
sheets, and reads them over. AS she does
so the story sounds more and more famil-
lar; what is the matter with it, She has
always been a great reader of all matter,
| from scientific information to love stories
| The truth gradually dawns on her that
she has unconsciously absorbed the gem
eral style of the Duchess and has put on
| paper something that might be considered
hash" of several of her stories, com
bined with a weak imitation of Conan
| Doyle" The sorry is at once consigned to
the waste basket, for If there is anything
she takes pride in 1t is her originality.
She decides that love stories are not her
| forte and she will try a mild adventure
This time she succeeds beyond her expec-
tations, the ideas flow smoothly, and after
many trials, ends the story in a satisfac-
tory manner.
She copies it very clearly to induce the
unknown editor to give it more than a
| casual glance. She feels sure that if ne
once begins to read it his interest will be
awakened and the charm of the adventure
will appeal to him.
Takes the name of some long depact ed
ancestor for nom de plume, as she
| thinks, in her beautiful ignorance, that the
editor VIII be much impressed with that
| fact, and ina CINE that she is an "old hand
a. the husiress.
Reads il once more. surely there are
some fine points in it,; II ought to be
worth $40. If 1t is worth anything at ALL
So she writes. Price &c." and ties the
sheets with blue ribbon, so that they
will turn over easily. She has visions
OF an editor rushing to death with work
easily irritated by tri1es, and Just such
a little thing as MSS. being easy to read
might decide her fate. she thinks.
Now the question arises. shall she read
her story to the family or Just to her
brother, or shall she wait till It comes out
in print, and surprise them ALL
Pleasant little shivers of delight thrill
her as she thinks of this possibility, AMI
how they viii praise her and marvel at
her long concealed talent.
The longing for appreciation concealed
| in every woman's heart proves too much
for her and when her young brother
stalks into the room alone she remarks
in a nonchalant tone: Say, Ted! want
to read my story. l wrote one for fun
this afternoon, just to see II could -
Ted begins to grin. but warned by her
heightened color that this is dead earnest,
says: "Sure What's its name?" and
seats himself TO hear it, with a polite air
OF resignation.
AS she unfolds the precious thing she
announces the title. and swallows hard
before beginning. There seems 20 be
something the matter with her voice, and
surely she has heart trouble. II never
beat in this irregular fashion before, She
feels as II she could weep, but gathers
herself together and begins.
At the end OF every sentence she casts
an anxious eye at Ted. OH Joy! at the end
of the second sheet, he gets up and stands
before the fireplace. That's a good sign
and when he rumples up his hair she is
delighted.
As she finishes, he says: Good enough,
Alice! You're a brick. l didn't know you
had It in you" DO you really and truly
think it's worth printisg. Ted?
should say 1t was, first rate. MY sis