The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-28

from the gate The rattle of his
wheels was still audible; and the eld-
oct of the three, the one with the apron
and the bunch of keys, faced the others
with a countenance that was still pale
from the conflict.
"To think of his impudence!' she
cried. Did 1 ever imagine that a milk
man would dare to sit in his wagon and
shout at us-absolutely shout-and ask
if we were ever going to pay that bill?
ooh. it was awful" moaned the girl
with her elbows on the table and the
pen in her clasped hands.
But still, you know" said the curly
haired girl, with an air of conviction,
1--WE really do owe him the money-and
maybe he doesn't like to wait. You
never can tell what milkmen think on
those subjects. What did you tell him.
Mariana"
Il told him we expected to have the
money in a few days." said Marian, of
the apron and keys. And so we do,
tiff any of Madges stories sell"
A general groan went around the
group, and Madge sat with a frown on
her brow, biting the end of the pen
staff.
"And surely some of them must
SELL" cried she of the curly locks, re-
turning to her sewing. They can't all
miss"
And suppose they sell as The Der
elicit did?" said Madge, in her most
pessimistic tones. THAT was accept
ed more than a year ago, you remem-
Der. to be paid for on publication-and
II hasn't been published yet"
Il hate these old magazines that
don't pay for a story till the author is
dead from starvation" grumbled Kate,
threading her needle with a jerk.
They'd feel nice if they had to bring
out that story some day, BY the Late
Margaret Bertram'-but then just as
likely as not they'd publish lot of
praise of the promising young author,
whose career was cut short in the very
beginning and so on. But I'd rather
have enough money to pay the milk
man than to have columns of post
mortem praise"
But, oh, Madge, that last story was
so good" cried Marian, the hopeful.
Somehow, 1 feel almost sure it will
be accepted"
Il know it was a good story" re-
piled Madge, half musing. II felt as
though my very life were going into
that story. 1t seemed almost to write
itself. There was strength in it, and
courage, and inspiration. And yeti
think it will come back
And even while the others protested
came the postman's whistle, and there
were four large envelopes for Miss
Margaret Bertram, inclosing four re-
1ected manuscripts; and among them
was the story which had written it,
self.
The three shrinking girls sat and
looked at one another, and seemed to
hear again the loud taunts of the milk
man, and the landlords rude COM
ments on tenants who allowed their
rent to fall into arrears. They had all
grown pale with disappointment and
with fear Of the future; and the young
writer arose and tossed her rejected
stories into a drawer and shut them
up with a bitter laugh.
Il wonder whatever made me think
] could writer" she said. ut was all
a mistake. l have no talent. l am a
mere scribbler. l have been taking
myself too seriously. Don't look so
woe-begone, Marian. And go on with
your work. both of you. 1 am going
TO write something after my kind"
And that evening she read them
new story; a story at which Kate
laughed in a half frightened way, and
of which Marian said candidly
1T doesn't sound like you, Madge,
OF course, it's bright and funny, and
all that-but your last story was beau
tful."
And didn't SELL" said Madge.
What is the use of writing beautiful
things? l have a drawer full of them.
and every one of them has travelled all
over the country. Now III try to
amuse the public, instead"
And less than three yyaexg afterwards
came the reply, notifying Miss Ber-
tram that the story was accepted, IN
closing a check for $50 and inviting
further contributions.
Fifty dollars! Oh, impossiblei 1t must
be five, or, at the most, fifteen. But no
the three heads bent over the check,
and there it was, too plain to be mis-
taken. And then the three sisters en-
braced one another and cried and
laughed, and did more absurd things
than they had ever done since the
struggle for a living had begun with
them; and Kate ran around the room,
waving the slip of paper as though 1t
We're banner. But after the first gush
OF gladness was over the pale young
author sat down and looked at them
Wistfully
IT is so discouraging" she said Ito
mink that all this money has been paid
=. VIC hSHleSl ana InOSL lnCOHSSQuSll-
udl thing l ever wrote"
1t would be much more discourag-
ing If it hadn't been paid at ALL" said
nate; and presently the author was
uancing gayly around the room.
Hurrah for the reign of the frivo-
Ious' she cried. THE die is cast. l
VIII never be serious again.
AND so 1t came to pass that when
me milkman drove up to make sar-
cdSuc remarks to them ladies-as they
Fl ~ -themselves-w what don't-pay their
p,Is' he found his bill paid and him
SSeH dismissed with celebrity that gave
nIi4 much room for painful thought;
ana the landlords little matter of rent
was settled so graciously that he vol
Ssnla'lly put new lock on the back
uoor and mended the front steps. There
, was really no limit to the wonders
worked by that check. 1t smooth
ca ea away more asperities and re-
FsoIed good-humored smiles to more
aiU"hlnS faces than any similar
b..tount of money was ever able to do
:. elore. And it was made so easily, and
en- -.