The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-16
The Unfinished Novel.

Iooking-glass above the great mantel-
piece in Mr. Pophan's room She. IN the
most unembarrass manner. gave she
tiniezt tilt to the big picture hat she
wore
And" said she. without turning round.
what about the writing Of the novel;
The writing Of a novel is. as mat
ter of practice. generally left to the-al
author he observed. 'fYou-ah-sureIy
don't propose
What I propose is this" broke in
Lady Alice, impetuously III give You
The plot Of the story, and the general
idea, and-and all that. and you must
find some respectable person 10 do The
writing"
"This-ah-is most unusual.
Il can't help it" remarked his visitor
coOlly Surely you have people about
who are capable Of such a simple task.
She looked around the room vaguely,
as il expecting 10 find ready writer's con-
cealed in all the cu2boards.
Mr. Popham rose. He rubbed his
glasses in a bewildered way. He was a
stout man, with many chins and a shin
ing head. J
MY dear lady" he said at Iength-''rny
dear LADY,"
Well said Lady Alice
you understand, Lady Alice" said
Mr. PoDham il the same helpless way,
that when we undertake TO publish a
book as general rule we confne our
selves to the business Of printing bird
ing, advertising and distributing the-ah
I work. The writing of it. We find, is
! generally preferred to be done by the au-
thor personally. stu, if you are serious
in what you say
of course ann interrupted Lady
Alice.
II dare say" continued tho publisher.
! 7 might find some suitable person. Let
me think All, yesl A young mana
1 MIR. Thorpe, I think-called on US a few
I days ago with the manuscript Of a war
novel-a kind Of goods with which the
market IS considerably overstocked He
mentioned that he was anxious to get
some sort of employment, either tempo
/ rary or permanent.
DO you think ne would suit?" inquired
/ the would-be author
II think sO-yes. returned Mr.. Pop
/ ham. He appears to be able TO write
/ tolerably well He has-ah-just return
/ ed from South Africa, where he was IN
! some-ah-irregular corps or another, I
1 believe"
How jollyl" cried Lady Alice. please
send him to me as soon as possible"
/ Lady Alice LyIlie was the only and
/ spoiled daughter Of a venerable orna-
/ ment OF the peerage, whom she ruled
! with a rod of iron. Pretty, clever and
/ rich she mad reached her twenty-fourth
birthday without marrying, and the COS
sips were beginning to look knowing
when dear LaT" was mentioned in the
/ course OF conversation.
Meanwhile, dear Lar rocked not at
all She was girl Of many hobbies.
Photography spiritualism and sports Of
various kinds-esch had their little
day Finally LADY Alice decided
that she must write novel
That stupid Lady Lister has written
one-or says she has" remarked the
young woman-"and I'm sure I'm better
able to write decent novel than she"
Hence the visit to the great publish
| ing firm, and the proposition which 80
startled SIR Popham.
Principally at 10 o'clock a tall, So
dierly man, whose shabby clothes COW
cred e spare, sinewy. weli-knit f1au~e
was ushered in. His age might have
been %, but his dark hair was beginning
TO thin, and there was a great disgust
and WEAKNESS in his eyes
Mr. Thorpe?" queried Lady Alice.
The visitor admitted his identity
Pm so Inpatient proceeded Lady
Alice. Where viii you sit? DO begin
at once, pleased"
The meek person poised her pencil. and
two pairs Of feminine eyes gazed expect
antly upon MIR. Thorpe
81 think It would Be better" remarked
that gentleman, IF had some general
idea Of the plot you propose"
ooh, yes How stupidv' gayly cried
his collaborator Il don't think you
need wait this morning, then. Miss Gold
ing. Come again tomorrow at 10 BY
then we shall have settled The plot. and
we can begin the writing"
We'll" she announced at length. IT'S
got TO be about a girl
Yes"
and a man"
Quite So
Ana they must fail in love. you
know
Naturally"
And they can't marry for ever so
long, and people try 70 keep them apart
and they have each other at the end"
Hasn't something Ike that been done
before2" Mr.. Thorpe ventured to ask
st suppose It has" admitted Lady Al
ice disconsolately "AlI the stories have
been done before 7 think Botherr
''But we might do 1t over again" sug-
gested Mr.. Thorpe. only in a different
way. you know"
ooh 50 we mightr' cried Lady Alice.
joyfully Howe clever OF YOU D.
letsr'
The writing Of the novel went merrilv
on for about a week when ore morn ng
a radiant vision fOated into the morning
room and announced that It was the
chairwoman of the Society for Bettering
the Conditions Of the Middle Glasses. and
that there was a committee meeting at
1890
$50 We shan't be able to DO any novel
work this morning" continued LADY AL