The Afro-American advance., 1900-06-23
THE DREAM OF A POET.
In which He Experieaees the Delight
of Having His Verses Well
Paid For.
&C the noetrr elIitor IN p,

Is the potifN tAtN9f III
The tall. pale-faced. intellectual look
ing man. with the high forehead and
the shabby black froek coat Tapping
about his emaciated form. stood hesi-
tatingly in the doorway as he put the
question. says the Washington Star.
A stout. weE-fed. well-groomed man,
seated at a carved mahogany desk. rose
from his chair in an attitude of saluta-
tion, and said:
"Sir. | am the editor of the poetry
column y
The intellectual looking man drew
forth from the inside pocket of his
shabby coat dog's-eared bundle of
manuscript.
81 beg to submit" said he. "a few
miscellaneous verses that have jotted
down at intervals during the past few
months. / should like to commend them
TO your most attentive consideration.
did I not feel that il were forward on
my part to do so. Many of them are
on the subject of the beauteous spring
season. which is now unfolding"
The stout. well-fed. well-groomed
man eagerly snatched up the bundle
of manuscript and turned over the
pages like man in play who is
searching for a missing will in a moth
eaten book of recipes. Then he took
the intellectual looking man enthusias-
tica'ly by the hand.
'My dear sir" said he, in voice full
of emotion. ~ pray You TO be seat
ed. have often heard of your work
in the poetic line. and have frequent
~ been upon the verge of writing to
inquire if you would not let MS have
what verses you did not care to use
elsewhere. Your arrival is exceeding
ly timely. | have been distracted TO
find some suitable verses on the sub
ject of spring for our big edition next
week. and anything that you submit
! feel confident must be more than
worthy the consideration. not only of
our publication. but of the world in
general. Sir. ! beg to assure you that
YOU flatter us beyond our worth in thus
coming to our rescue at critical time.
and YOU shall not go unrewarded. /
shall. with your permission. accept this
entire lot Of verses that you have sub
mitted. and | leave it to YOU to set
whatever figure upon them that YOU
think Is equitable and proper"
II beg YOU to spare me the humilia-
tion of appraising these children of
my brain and soul in cold lucre." said
the intellectual looking man. "Any
amount that you may see fit to render
in payment for them will be quite sat
isfactory to me-"
The poetry editor reached into one
of the drawers of his carved mahogany
desk and drew forth a small book of
pale pink checks. Selling diamond
incrusted pen he hastily dashed off a
check for 5000 and handed il over to
the intellectual looking man.
81 consider that simply bagatelle
in payment for such exquisite versifi-
cation as know this package of manu-
script contains" said the poetry editor.
again fervently squeezing the hand Of
the intellectual looking man. "but
when that is gone | pray you not to
hesitate TO call upon us. or draw upon
us, for any amount. Good morning.
my dear sir good morning"
Then the intellectual looking man
fell out of bed with such a resounding
bump that the Hibernian landiady
rushed up 10 his garret room and noti-
fed him that he'd have to seek other
/ L. 4 .