Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1900-02-01
About year later I met Mr.. King,


II had a strange dream last hight, l"
he said. II thought I was dead, ana
that you said you had known about il
long ago. What do you think OF it,"
He tried to smile, but I saw he was
scared. Death daunts all when looked
at face to face
Il don't have much faith in
dreams, was my reply. IF You had
failed IN as many things as | have
you would welcome death rs a
change"
One says these things to others but
they are falsehoods. Ifear death.
Il tried to set you on tho right
road to succeed in literature, but YOU
wouldn't follow my advice. -
How could [? Am. | to 90 on kill
ing people in fiction, anl finding
corpse9 behind doors, and marrying
poor girls to rich men, and all that
sort Of horror, just to amuse a lot OF
IDLE or weary lnortals, and earn per-
| haps two dollars week III money: It s
all very well for you editors, who have
a regular salary, bat for US outsiders,
its ron@h riding"
You little know Of the trials Of an
eiltors life if you think YOU have all
the bitterness of a literary career, :"
retorted King, gloomily. "Between
the practical Joker who wants to get
up a quarrel with any one, and the
crank who is driven by strange mad
ness to pitch IN to somebody all the
time, there is less peace and less sat
lsfactlon il editing than III any other
profession In modern days. am think
ing Of taking q sea voyage
wished to warn him of the danger
Of such a change, but could | say
that his fate might be escaped on land
any better than at sea?
I've good nind to go with YOU"
I remarked.
Come on" lie replied with alert
ness. AS a writer yon have your
defects, too caustic pen, but as q
compasnon lie voyage | would choose
none more desirable"
It Was some months before We
started upon oar travels, first to
South Africa. then to Australia Mr.
KING enjoyed the bes. Of health I
trlel to believe | hal deceived my
self. | resisted the temptation 70 fly
from his presence, to forsake hin. in
spite oi the dread whic1 q coming
death always excitas in me.
We reached San Francisco in SAFE
ty. We started east across the con-
tinent.
One evening as We sat at dinner in
the dining ear gentleman ap.
preached us AMI asked me politely:
Is this Mr.. Ning?'
| pointed to my companion ana
reached for the salad disk.
You are the editor Of Kings
Monthlv."
II am" replied Mr. King, with
dignity, ''the eiitor-in- chief. We
have 4 number Of departments and
eacn has its spec:lt editor
Perhaps you can tell me Why this
story was decined?'
He drew a rather bulky package
from his coat pocket and opened it
beside the clitor's plate
Il have been away frcm the Office
nearly a year began Mr.. King.
Then he stopped and looked at the
manuscript more attentively. "Whv,
this is one of Mr.. kipling's stories" "
"Its lie, [ wrote it myself" ex-
claimed the stranger. suddenly dis
playing great excitement.
You may have copied it. Yes, that
IS the way of ii.
Mr.. King tried 10 assume an air Of
genial hUmor, at the same time sig
mailing to me to get assistance. We
both recognized the crank whose in
SANITY takes the form OF believing
himself SOME famous writer or Of try
fns to dispose OF copies Of published
stories OF celebrated authors as his
own.
E.lt the madmaD suspected the ed
ltor's inteutlon and sprang upon him,
bending his head back ward and aim
ing At hls throat with the first knife
his hand could get hold OF. Before I
coaid come 10 my friends assistance
all was over, and the assassin had es-
capped 10 the end OF the car. A chasm
several hundred feet in depth was be-
side the track here. but into this he
leaped with cry OF triumph al hay
ing revenged himself upon his fancied