Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-07-23

i"Wait Till !;
) the Clouds :
IN Roll By"
! ERNEST JARRoLD 3
2 Copyright, 1902, by Ernest Jarrold.
1.A.4.A.0.o.oo.1.-o.1.o.o.0
~ JOHNSON had worked his way
IH through Cornell university
'@ and had been graduated with
s) honor. Having inherited
taste for literature. he decided to go to
New York and win fame and fortune
with his pen. To young and ardent
man this prospect is a very pleasant
one. In the effort a few men have sue
ceeded, but many more have failed for
the reason that the road is more stony
than the famed rocky road to Dublin.
But Robinson's heart beat high and
strong. He knew he would have to
work, but he was willing. His ambi-
ton was to become an editorial writer
like Horace Greeley or Henri Roche
fort.
When Robinson arrived in New York
city in December, IS, he had one suit
of clothes and two ten dollar notes.
Having passed through an apprentice
ship in economy at college, he knew
the value of dollar, and SO he decided
to make his cash capital go us far as he
could. 1t was the first time he had
ever visited great city, and feeling
of inexpressible loneliness came over
him as he looked into the faces of thou
sands of men and women and wonder
ed why he did not recognize any of
them. Robinson had been reared in an
environment of green trees and run
ming brooks, where nature smiles upon
man. But to the country boys percep-
ton the tall buildings seemed to frown
forbiddingly upon him, and the noise
of innumerable vehicles sounded dis
cordantly in his ears.
Tugging his old carpetsack, contain
ing his clothing, a copy of Shake
speare, n Bible and thesaurus, he
walked up Broadway in search of a
lodging house. He was amazed at the
hustle and activity, the Indifference of
every man for his neighbor and ut the
indications on every hand of wealth
and prosperity. Up the great thorough
fare he wandered, looking for home,
but finding no renting place until he
arrived in Harlem. Here, in quiet
side street, he secured hall bedroom
on the top floor of q tenement house
by paying S1.5O in advance. This little
room, perched up on the eighth floor
Just under the caves Of the building
contained small bed, washstand
and one chair. Thoroughly exhausted
J by his long walk, Robinson lay dowr
and fell asleep.
His first impulse on arising in thu
morning was to examine this grea
, city Of which he had heard SO much
to visit the public buildings and othel
objects of interest, but he represset
this inclination and began to work
AS is the case with many young mel
of like inclination, Robinson was al
idealist, a dreamer. He delighted il
writing little prose and poetical etch
, ings Of scenery and of human emo
tons. The publishers Of newspaper
have learned by experience that theil
readers do not care for this kind o.
writing. They prefer stories Of crime
murder, burglary, arson. In short, the.
: want the pepper of sensationalism
Robinson, unfortunately for his pocket
: did not take notice Of the direction o
| nv, IN 70 IN ne In 1,o IN,
away along ideal lines until at TIL
end of week he had dozen sketche
and poems ready. Then he discovere,
that half of his money was gone ant
he must sell some of his work in orde
to replenish his pocketbook. Filling
his pockets with his stories and poems
he started to walk the seven miles in
tervening between his lodging hous
and that Mecca Of journalistic genius
Pork row. This is the street where al
the great metropolitan papers are IL
Gated, the street which never sleeps
Under its sidewalks mammoth presse
ore always in motion day and nigh
There gaping crowds congregate t
read the bulletins Of news from al
over the world. Ills the spot wher
more American history has been re
corded than any other in the country
TITS cruel place for stranger witt
out friends or money to be found, an
here it was. that Robinson took hi
first lesson in the sale of manuscript
Robinson was of refined and sensi
tive nature. By the time he had me
three office boys who We're hired t
keep just such men as he away iron
the editors he was very much discou,
aged, and yet he felt that his wor
was good. And SO as he trudged bac
to his room in Harlem with his pre-
cious manuscripts still in his poke
he took heart of grace and resolved t
start out again on the morrow. TIL
resolution was strengthened by han
organ grinder who came under his wiz
dow and played "Wait Till the Cloud
Roll By" BUTT was uphill work. l
after years Robinson could not remen
Der the various incidents of that even
full week, 80 crushed and disappointe
was he. 1t was not because the et
itors were unkind to him, but they ha
no time to be sympathetic. Bring u
news" they said to him, "and we wi
print it and pay you liberafly. "
have no space for literature"
In the course Of a week Robinso
: visited the editorial rooms Of nearl
every newspaper office in New Yor
city, but he did not dispose Of a lin
of his work. His nearest approach t
nm acceptance came from an editc
who offered to print some Of his stt
ries provided he did not ask for pa,
With unconscious irony Robinson sal
he needed money to buy bread, br
when he became famous-which was
certainty-he would be glad to furnis
n few specimens Of his genius. B
this time Robinson's money was b
coming scarce, and he decided to tai;
r. a