The Republican journal., 1901-03-21

One Love, has been favorably considered by
u.s. We want you to let us publish it anony-
mOusly, or under a nom de plume. 1t suits
our purpose SO well that l shall pay you
'Kipling prices for it. Inclosed please find
| a check for 800. l trust you will find this
fair compensation.
Yours Truly,
'JOHN RAY HAMILTON, Editor"
The doctor folded the letter, and as
the girl took it she said:
"When l received that my dream of
happiness was realized. did not mind
their publishing it anonymously. 1t has
my idol. | did not care for fame, but l
had labored-oh! so long-over that
story. But, like most women, couldn't
keep it to myself. l had to tell all my
friends that my story had been accepted
by the leading New York magazine. l
showed them all this letter, and l was
fairly lionized by the simple village folks.
| was pointed out as the young literary
woman of the State, and some even SAID
| would be great novelist. Well, final
| ly the magazine came
| Everybody in the village had order
i ed one, and Bill Morrison, the stage
driver, handed them around; but he
didn't make any comment. He seemed
Ill q llull W SoU DIV dy do oooll do IC gave
me mine, and when | called after him
and asked if he had read my story and
weren't going to congratulate me on it
he seemed not to hear me, but turned so
| quickly away that l was alarmed He
had read my story, though, and this is
what he read at the top of itr'
Hamilton raised his hand in depre-
eating manner.
/ The doctor took the slip. 1t read as
follows:
For long time we have been on the
| lookout for the most worthless story
| possible, in order to give our readers an
idea of the kind of rubbish we receive,
and have selected this as the one
The doctor stood with the slip in his
hand. The girl watched his face as he
read, then said:
"a whole world, no doubt, laughed at
the brilliant editors sarcasm. All but
a lone, little village in the backwoods of
Texas. There were a dozen men there
who would gladly have gone to New
York and shot that editor, but | begged
| them not to do So ] was dreadfully
ashamed. | could hardly look my own
mother in the face. And after all the
hopes they had built on me, too. They
| loved me SO, but when their compassion
became greater than l could bear l
crept away alone-alone with my broken
| heart-to die here | hadn't done any
thing to deserve it, either. | had just
worked at my story, dreaming of fame;
and when it was ready | copied it so
neatly, and didn't roll it or fold it, but
| put it between two pieces of paSteboard
and then posted it myself. And l wait
ed so long, and then the editors letter
came And oh! the joy of it, And then
and then-oh? the tragedy, the cruelty
of it ALL
She broke into violent fit of sobbing
At this Hamilton groaned and turned
away.
81 have only one thing to say" said
the girl softly. Il thank God for Civ
ing me the chance to tell you that | for
give you
A sound like the faint echo of zephyr
escaped her; then a great stiffness fol
i lowed. The doctor moved nearer to the
bed He bent down and looked at the
| girl; then he touched Hamilton gently
on the shoulder
Come" he said.
! NO." said Hamilton, mot till l tell
her how | feel, what L will try to do,
'Your words will have to go to heaven
to reach her. replied the doctor.
The story ended abruptly.
Mansfield turned the page.
"Where's the rest of it," he asked of
the WATERMAN with the red face and
yellow mustache.
'There isn't any crest" answered the
WATERMAN.
"But it hasn't any ending to it."
'1t has very logical ending"
! ssRuf Won didn't uiuo fbat br,,%o
Hamilton, chance to do anything for
the girl-to make amends"
There wouldn't be any moral to it if
l did," replied Webb.
"And I'm afraid the readers would be
dissatisfied with the way it ends,' con-
tinued Mansfield.
After pause the WATERMAN said:
What are you going to do with it 2"
'I'll give you hundred dollars for it.
but I shan't publish it the way it ends
or rather, doesn't end'
What good is it to you, them"
The editor put his hand affectionately
on the writer-man's arm:
my dear boy, you have saved me from
doing a mean thing, low down mean
thing. l couldn't find it in my heart to
use the Jencks girls story in the way 1
intended. Just think, it might have
| OlohCA uCl HCdlU. Iudllh heavens,
man, you have saved her and me-"
He pressed a button.
ASK the cashier to make check for
MI. Webb for $780, he said to the boy
who appeared in response to the sum-
mons. When the check was brought
in Webb folded it carefully and put it
in his pocket.
''Come to lunch with me,' he said,
The brilliant editor rose and put on
his hat At that moment the boy ap
peared with card. The editor read
it:
Serena Jencks, Galveston
He handed the card to the writer
man, then turned to the boy.
''Show the lady in. Stay where you
are, Webb Then he added: "a good
chance to see the girl
Webb chuckled
A tall slender girl appeared. She
had large brown eyes and red lips. Her
hands were not small, but were well
gloved, and she dressed in good style
not New York style. She held out her
hand freely to the editor, and he shook
it heartily and then presented Webb.
81 am just off the steamer" exclaim-
ed Miss Jencks in an ELUSIVE way,
"and the first thing did was to call to