The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-01-07
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8 A DOUBLE EVENT 3
g A Story of Two People g
5 Struggling For Literary Fame. 3
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BY AMELIA PAIN.


The first letter fell out of blue sky,
signed John Giddens," on to unprepared
soil, addressed as "E. F. Cornish, ESQ,
Care Of the Editor" and ran as follows:
Dear sir-I have just read your story, 1.-THE
Carbuncle." May refer you to sketch Of
mine entitled H'The Ruby and published in
Etoner's Magazine for April last am naturally
much fattered at being found worthy of imita-
uon-an imitation frank and obvious as to
leave no room for question of chance coine-
dence. At the same time, as hope some day to
republish my story in book form, l should con-
slider it both honest and courteous on your part
il you would insert in the next number OF the
magazine acknowledgment that your story
was founded on mine. am, of course, only a
beginner in the field Of literature, but had hoped
that this need not absolve my colleagues from
ordinary fair play. Faithfully yours.
JOHN GDDEss
The answer came three days later:
Dear Sir-Your letter Of the 4th has been for
warded to me- had not read your story, 1.-THE
Ruby" until this morning. l had never, as it
happens, heard Of 1t or seen stoners Magazine for
April last. OF course / cannot prove this state
ment l can and dc here swear to the truth Of it,
but am aware that it still rests with you to be-
heve or disbelieve it and that disbelief is the
more probable. The resemblance between the
two stories is extraordinary. 1t is a most amaz
ing coincidence, nothing more. Faithfully yours,
E. f. CORNISH.
John Giddens Immediately wrote again,
declaring himself perfectly satisfied with
the explanation, apologizing for his in
dignation and hippantly suggesting that
in future they should revise each others
proofs to avoid further risks.
VIII you accept the small volume which l send
herewith a peace oneringf 1t is my first at
tempt at a novel, Just published. My excuses
must be ~ that it is short; () that / naturally
have feeling Of fellowship with the author Of
'1The Carbuncle, and 80 that-with the above
notable exception-I so genuinely admire your
work and would value your criticism accordingly.
The qualities which / enjoy most in your writ
ing-the extreme delicaey and subtlety-have led
me to guess that your masculine title is assumed.
If mistaken, it will be my first error in
judging the of writer, and should be apol-
ogetically yours, JOHN GDDENs.
e. f. Cornish allowed the lapse of a
week before returning thanks for the book.
81 waited to read it, contrary to my gen
eral rule was the reason given, borne out
by a most careful criticism and most I'M
common praise. "The book has appealed
to me more strongly perhaps than any
other modern novel. hardly dare or
care to tell you latter what has already
identical with one which ! have been Sc
cretly nursing in my mind for years.
But so it is. 1t gave me the oldest SEN
sation-as if my thoughts had somehow
escaped my brain or had been stolen from
me. / had a moment of senseless rage"
And toward the end of the letter: "Of
course you are right about my name and
sex being assumed, but you are the first
who has unmasked me. | trust to your
discretion. | am sure that | safely may.
There are reasons why this should be Of
importance to me. As to your feeling of
fellowship, how should one not feel drawn
toward an intellectual twin? |, for my
part, am frankly curious to know more of
yourself as well as OF your work. Will
you let me? Remember that | know
nothing Of your personal history beyond
your address, and that am no less Curl
GUS than the rest of my sex"
Wherein John Giddens showed himself
no less fatterable than the rest Of his sex
by replying with long letter, delicately
personal a trifie sentimental in parts,
but with high lights of humor that must
have appealed particularly to e. F. Cor
nish, if sympathy in humor goes for any
thing And of course there was counter
petition for personal information. "There
is always a satisfaction" he ended, I'm
seeing a portrait of any one of whom we
have wildly imagined. May | not see a
portrait of you-a sketch, a photograph
anything that can give me the faintest
clew? intend faithfully to return it. If
you refuse, you must, of course, bear my
differences"
II haven't got one photograph of my
self that | would show to stuffed cat"
answered e. f. Cornish. but to stifie in
ferences l must tell you that there will be
at least two portraits of me in next years
exhibitions Il am a victim of painters),
and those you shall see and know. Tell
me, meanwhile, what your imagination
has painted me. Describe me. will de-
scribe you by way of encouragement.
You are of medium height. A trife sal
low. Short, brown beard. and, | think,
grayish eyes. A sensitive mouth-almost
femininely so-and very white hands.
You are not strong, physically, and you
are thin and stoop a little. You are
emotional and a bad sleeper. There!
Send exhaustive corrections and forgive
ness as soon as you like" A short and
whimsical lament on the "abysmal diff
culties'' that beset the work of young
girl who is writing entirely in secret
closed the letter.
Ozark" John Giddens painted her in
his reply, with straight brows and full
lips, a strong, self reliant face and up
right figure. Large and rather restless
eyes, with a bit of the devil in them.
Age about twenty-five, but sometimes
three. A little bit too wealthy for your
own happiness as an artist, little bit
spoiled by worldly admiration. Heavens,
how / shall tremble before your next let
terri
The next letter was already a certainty.
From now they wrote constantly. letters
that slipped gradually into intimacy, let
tiers full Of kindred humor. often frankly
personal.
It was John Giddens who at last. after
two months of this correspondence. APP
preached the question of meeting. till
then carefully avoided. "Why should we
remain mere paper friends when fate so
clearly intended more2 Think Of all we
may be foregoing; or. better still. think
not at all. but send me simple, trustful
Yes"
And she did send by return a colossal
Eyes that OCCURRED the whole OF the first
page. On the second came Instructions;
az 4et II be at the British museum flor re-
spectability) by the Egin marbles for in
sniration) next Tuesday afternoon at
o'clock. And, to avoid assaufting the
wrong people, let each wear a yellow
orchid-I in my dress, you in your coat.
Rob (of John Giddens' novel; has decided |
me. was rereading last night, Those
whom a common humor hath joined to-
gether let no man put asunder.
Tuesday was pouring wet day. but at
FIVE minutes to 5 tail. gaunt woman,
large footed. with a yellow orchid in her
dress, entered the Eigin marble room,
wiped some spots of rain off her gloves
and cape, tweaked nervously al her veil
and looked about her with furtive. short /
~,~h..S 49, 49, ,.roor,o5 o,,otto,1I,, he.