Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-01-30

fibs. Besides, it is not often that one
gets real live editor into ones
hands, just fresh from ones OWL
manuscript
very true;" said leighton, look.
ing 3acently at the blue envelope.
His confidence in Ills editorial judg-
ment was returning, He felt better.
Miss Barker, afte;' all; was not, as he
had imagined, o representative of the
great class of magazine readers.
She had turned out to be the most
prejudicsf audiences he could havo
had. He gave little sigh df relief,
"It. is not usually profitable under
taking" he began. ito tell an author,
especially, E woman. the truth about
her literafy &crEs but If, you will
a.,n,,,: - the responsibility, wtft tell
ssos' sSSN h.no.t,, nbA,a,r -, -, the faults
and the merits of your story
II will assume the entire RESPONSE
bility," she replied, eagerly. "and con-
slider it a privilege.
very Well; then" said leighton
and fiee., st 5HSs kraacseeded to give
Miss Barker a little impromp:H
lecture on the art Of story writing.
He was Earnest ands torcettl,l ~, IN in his
manner, and she listened atsentively.
She did not like some of the things
he said about her work, but she could
see that they might be true. He
praised what he had liked Ia her
story; even more than it deserved,
and then BE gave her. a few werds OF
advice; on her future work. )
Don't 'be t9o ambitious. be said:
Leave to ornef5 II write ABOUT
heroes and heroines who love anc
die. Write of what you know about,
and see before you. Remember that
there is force in simplicity. Don't hay
the color on too thick. Tell your
little tale, and the color will find It's
way ia al ITSELF Yed have iie idea
how many people; all over, the e6ua;
try, are ctdgellipg their brains for
intricate plots, When they would add
vastly to the wealth Of fiterhthrs II
they would only Write Of the simple
things they see before them. Believe
me; you can make s bettet. story out
Of what you yourself have been doing
to-day than you can with the antics
of two love-sick puppets of your i'm
agination. Gather your material, so
far as you can, from real life; then
dress 1t to suit your fancy. Yet don't
get confounded by that old fallacy
that fact is stranger than fiction. 1t
is not. The startling stories served
up to us as facts are the ones most
cleverly coated with fiction. Use
your Imagination; but doh't let your
Imagination use y6u: II you are go:
ing t6 tell me the story Of the days
events, pick out tie. salient POINTS
and make them 8 trifie more prom:
inent by a little jtstIhaBle sxaggera:
ton. Just as an actor is made. up
with paint for the glare Of the foot:
lights, so should fact be assisted BY
fiction before it is submitted to the
light Of public scrutiny"
Leighton feared he might be grow.
ing eloquent, and broke off his lecture
abruptly. he slid the manuscript into
the blue envelope. and handed it to
Miss Barker. Then he rose and said
he must go. SHE thanked him and
hoped she had not taken too much Of
his time; but size felt as she spoke
that her manner was affected and
distant She was not thinking OF Leigh
ton-she was thinking Of what he had
said. He put her on a train. Then
he fastened for the dilatory Won
Beck.
About two weeks later another long
blue envelope found It's way to Leigh
tons desk. He recognized the hand
writing on 1t and ripped it open, ex.
pecting to find a revision Of the love
story. But the manuscript bore diff
ferent title. A little note slipped out
of it's folds:
Dear Mr.. Leighton:
II have followed your advice about
writing Of things / know and have
seen. I have accepted your sugges-
tion about using the events of one OF
my own days. Perhaps you will re-
member the day.
Sincerely yours.
"IDA BARKER"
Except for the introduction and q
few corrections by the editor, this is
the story.-New York Independent.