The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-10-25
zs3 S.lIzz|>S IS
A VERY STUPID EDITOR.

Suddenly he spranP TO his feet. HIS
mind was made up. lie would go 10
her and tell her
"Wil you sign these now, sir?" II
was the office BOY with shcaf Of
trpewrittcn letters awaiting signature.
"Ycs; put them on the table"
He sat down again, took up his pen,
glanced rapidly through each letter
and wrote his ramc at the foot.
He had come TO the last note, and
was about 10 deal with II in the same
half mechanical manner when the ad-
dress at the bottom caught his eye. 1t
was a letter he had himself dictated
to the author Of some mediocre verses.
The would-bc poet had begged for the
favor Of criticism, even If the verses
were not accepted and the editor, in
his usually tindly manner, had com
piled. Now he saw that the writer
had sent them from the address Of a
boardinghouse in Brighton Some
thing of the subject Of the verses
came back to his mind, and he quickly
drew them out OF the Cnyclop.
They were written In a flOwCry
style, and some Of the rhymes would
have disgraced n pill advertisement
But the edito" read them through with
rapt attention. And, as he read, the
lines in his face hardened and his
brow became furrowcd. He turned
TO the waiting office boy and badc
! him take the other letters to the post.
| This one he would deal with himself.
Yes, but how to deal with it-that
was the trial. For not only the ad-
| dress, but the description OF the scene,
Of the heroine and the nature Of the
! subject enlarged upon-"LOyc SCOrncd"
left him no room for doubt rs to
the cruel trick that fate had played
him. 1t was evident that the verses
were by the girls lover, written in
the first bitterness of his refusal
But why should they have been sent
to paper, and why to his paperP
That was clear also. The girl would
have had the Clubland Chronicle at
the clearinghouse the editor
himself had sent It to her there each
week. And the lover, knowing she
read the paper, doubtless hoped to
reach her in this way.
But what was the EDITORS duty in
the matter? At first he refused To
answer the question at all. He told
himself that MS IN odi,or he could not
publish the verses. They were far too
weak. Neither could he publish the
girls story. Duty to his employers,
after all. came first. and, to tell the
truth, the story was very little better
than the verses All he need do, there
fore, was To return both 10 their
respective authors, with a little note,
and then play the game as hard rs
he could in his own interests.
The editor was having "A hig fight
with hmsClr-a fight that few men
have to fight even once in their lives,
and none twice. For the love In his
breast was divided into two opposing
forccs--thc selfish inclindtions on the
one side and the unsclnsh en- the other.
And then 1t happened that his eye
fcll upon a little sheet OF note paper.
1t was her letter. lie took IL up wear
lily and read 1t through second time.
at is a fragment of my own life.
II Is easier to write than 10
speak of things like this"
All! 1t has touched her heart this
affair In the clearinghouse at Bright
on. He saw her little eyes wet with
tears: he heard her sohhing To herself
in the night time. After all, her hap
piness came first; he would think only
of that.
There was no hcs.tating now lie
had thought out means OF bringing
the two together again almost rs soon
as he had read the verses the second
| time. In moment it was donc-thc
act that had robbed him Of the sweet
ness of living.
He simply sent the girls story to
the man in the boardinghousc nj
Brighton. And the mau's verses he
sent TO the girl.
The night and half the next day
had gone by, and again the editor OF
the CMbland Chronicle sat in the cdi.
torial chair. But this afternoon nC
was not alone. A lady visitor occupied
the chair on the opposite side of his
table.
NO" she was saying. II don't IN
derstand II bit! Instead of sending
me back my story you forward thes,
verses In an envelope addressed by
yourself You admit that 1t was no
) mistake, and you say that my story
is not in the office. Please explain"
Now. the editor was not used {,
being addressed I'm this manner b!
, contributors. He had got TO know
which people were likely TO max,
, themselves unpleasant. and he lnvar
! iably handed their cards on to the sui
' editor. But this was not a matter 10
= the sub.editor.
0 MY dear child" he said gently. "
{ assure you did IL all for the best.
Q Don't he so idlotic," said the cir
o How can il be for the best to los
/ my story and send this wretched stu
i; instead? I'm afraid the want OF n ho
$ iday has-well. knocked you out"
o She noted the lines In his face an
Il the dark shadows under his eyes.
Il "Ahw said the editor. talking q
Il holidays gives you the keynote of th
s situation"
n lie locked for telltale blush bt
none followed.
g You wrote your story on a hol
N ! days bo continued