The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-26

Hello Editor"
What have you got for
US today?"
my opinion in the case
- n What case?"
Don't you remember?
The other day you said YOU
had received story that was so bad
that It was good, and that YOU were
half inclined to print it as n sample of
the stun you receive daily and are
actually expected to publish. You
asked me what | thought of the
scheme" The writer-man paused.
"well?" interrogatlvely.
We'll, I've embodied my opinion In
story. Here 1t is"
The red-faced man with the yellow
mustache a1d blue eyes put tanned
hand into an inner pocket, drew out a
manuscript and handed 1t to the ele-
eantly gromed Harvard man at .he
desk.
Read it, he said.
Mansfield settled himself comfortably
and read.
THE STORY Ol" A LOVE STORY
once upon atime there was a brill
liant editor of a famous magazine; (;
there was also n writer-man whom the
editor liked and whose stories he hated
to reject: but the safety of the maga-
zine demanded it. 1t happened one
day that the editor was sore perpleXed
about matter. and he called the
writer-man to help him out.
Briggs" said he. II have stpt j;
that is so bad that 1t is good. 1t is Il
splendid specimen of the rot that Ia
sent us. want to use 1t as a sample
of the sort of thing we get-of the
drivel we are expected to publish it $
a love story"
Has it no uplifting cynicism to re-
deem it?" asked Briggs. satlrically.
mo, for it's sheer flubdub, balder-
dash, food for fools"
who wrote It? Some foolish old
woman I suppose
The editor knitted his brows.
NO" he replied. "a young woman
wrote it--a school teacher"
Young, beautiful and school
teacher" repeated Briggs. Let me
see the story. All it has two good
traits-it's beautifully typewritten and
ii smells of roses" After n few min
utes he handed the story back with
weary smile. He pondered a moment,
then his face frightened
How do you know she's young" he
asked, The editor unlocked a private
drawer.
she wrote me short letter giving
sketch of her life, and telling me
how she came to write the story.
wish the letter was longer--Id pub
lish it instead of the other. It's in
tensely interesting. 1t seems she has
suffered the same as the rest of US
She also sent her photograph here
it is. Imagine that face associated
with such rot. 1t seems a sacrilege."
Horrible" commented Eriggs SOL
emnly.
"She lives in B-ville. Texas" con-
tinued the editor.
How shall you arrange with her?"
asked Briggs. You must, of course,
give your reason for publishing the
story. l shouldn't feel greatly fiat
tered If you were to use any of my
stuff for such a scheme as that. IT'S
brutal"
II know ii is. But there is such
fierce competition between us editors
that we must employ eccentric meth
obs when we fail of original"
lou must dNen descend 10 the
breaking of girls heart" sair Briggs.
Hamilton flushed. Il am not going
to publish her name, and I'll Jay her
as much as | would Howols or Kip
ling"
Briggs smiled. My dear boy, YOU
might as well try to console your
mother for the loss of her child by
telling her that no one would know Il
was hers tha. died. It's not the world
she cares for-it's her pet, and she'll
mourn over ii all the more on ac-
count of its frienlessncss. You don't
know women, but you should know
authors. An authors story may be
dcformed, ugly, even iiiotic, but yon
can no more reason him into seeing its
.unlovliness than you can convince a
mother Of the ugliness of her child"
Don't lecture" exclaimed Iianil-
otn. Give me an answer-ycs or nc.
Shall I publish it rs a terrible exam
ple?"
Yes" said Briggs.
Hamilton laughed. We'll. if you're
not the most inconsistent fellow /
ever saw. / thought you We're trying.
some of your eccentric logic on me-
Come to lunch"
Six months later Hamilton steamed
INTO st. Louis, en- route to California:
he was to stop over for two davs. Tha