The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-07-27
A LETTER.

A LETTER.
MY DEAR WALTER-Let me ask you
to turn back the pages of memory I'M
til you reach that one upon which is
inscribed the record of our first night
in camp on the banks of Massabesic
You remember that we named the
beautiful spot "Idalia," and you will
recall the wondrous aurora which so
brilliantly Illuminated the broad ex-
panse of the heavens, which covered
US as we rocked gently in our boat
waiting vainly for the nibble which
never came What Il night that was.
We did not catch anything-not even
cold, thanks to our warm cardigans-
but we gazed upon the gaudy piano.
rama in the skies and felt the littleness
OF self, as man ever must When view
ing the marvels of nature.
But the northern lights dimmed and
died away at last, and we talked OF
lesser things, finally reaching that ever
absorbing topic, our own work. In
time we discussed certain stories
which l had already published, and l
remember how severely you criticised
what you called my stupid soaring in
to the realms of the impossible when,
in your opinion, you thought that
ought rather to contine myself to 1.-The
probabilities of everyday life"
How often during that holiday did
you use the phrase lin all human
probability" till at last we all made
jest of your habit. when finally you
silenced me by saying, AT any rate.
your stories are not within human
probability"
Well, my friend, have often thought
over your words. even though l have
not yet been convinced that the most
interesting phases Of human life are
those which are of most common &C.
currence. After all, the main object Of
fiction Is to entertain, and, even
though little instructive lesson may
be deftly interviewer with the plot,
fear that the modern novel is some
times too highly spced with philo
sophie dissertations. And in seeking to
entertain is it not best to offer some
thing out of the common, something a
little different from the dull routine of
daily experience?
l send you herewith copy Of my
new story. With what zest you will
rush through it's pages seeking for in
cidents which may not be within hui
man probabilityv' But warn you
that in these pages there are hidden
many traps for you. The plot is pure
ly fiction, but every character has
prototype in life. Those incidents
which you will be most eager to call
impossible" have all happened.
You may doubt whether founding
may become an heiress to $5,O0O.0O0
and may also develop into a society
lady, but the original of this character
was a debutante last season, and the
main facts are true.
You may doubt the possibility of the
Burglars Social union. but the float
ing gambling saloon flourished in our
harbor very recently, and visited it in
company with man who is practical
ly at the head of the criminal fraterni-
ty of the metropolis. This man is a
college graduate, has never been ar
rested, and he dominates a great band
of crooks" so that. however impli-
Gated he may be in their crimes, they
never ''peach," but when convicted
serve their sentences without betray-
ing this master hand. On that boat
met at least so men whom society
would like to see in Sing Sing.
But l do not intend to point out all
the pitfalls for you. Go ahead with
your search for "impossibilities, and
when you have found them all send
your list to me, and | will gleefully
tell you, for your bewilderment, which
have been borrowed from life.
Another word. know that you dis
like dialect" and agree with you in
the main. Nevertheless dialect is
sometimes essential. 1t should never
be the object of the story teller to
| show his acquaintance with people
| who distort English. but when an au-
thor reaches locality where all love
! of grammer is dead it would be abb
surd for him to put rounded periods
| in the mouths of his characters There
fore excuse the language of my "slum
people" Just one thing more. You
may write to me that "slum people" do
not speak even as we'll as I make them,
but your views are taken from the
Bowery tough of stageland. and be-
lieve me that in hundred visits to the
poverty districts have never met that
exaggerated Individual Very sincere
ly yours, RoDRIGUEs OTToLENGU1
CHAPTER l.
A MYSTERIOUS CASE
II am delighted to see you," exclaim-
| ed Mr.. Mitchell enterinp his lihra nv