The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-11-07
VOL. XLVii--NO ~
"A LITERAL PLOT

Lawrence Give, the celebrated nov
clist, was growing old, and his mag
| nation WIS failing. Youngsters were
initiating his style, but could not sue
coed without his lame. While he was
passing out for want of his pristine
freshness. He sailed forth TO find
one of the aforesaid youngsters.
When the novelist reached his wait
ing carriage he handed Il slip Of paper
| to the cOachman.
Drive 10 that address," lie said,
land wait for me-
1t was now dark, and the cOachman
had some difficulty in finding the cor
! rect number. There was even more
difficulty III finding Tie room of any
| particular tenant, for no ncighbor
| seemed TO know another by name but
at last Mr.. Lawrence Give, somewhat
out of breath with the steep climb
and dark ascent, stood at the landing
of the top back room and raped at
the door,
After some delay and inside shut
fling the door was opened two or three
inches, and Mr. Give caught glimpse
| OF the haggald face of Il young man
with unkempt hair, coat buttoned
tight to the throat and the fireless,
empty stump of pipe in his mouth
Il wish to see Mr.. Stafford
That's my NAME" said the young
man. wait a moment, and | will
come out TO you on the landing"
No. said Give, Il will go inside.
We will shut the door"
The elegantly dressed Mr.. Give
stepped into the room-and Il room
more sQualid even than he had antici-
pated. On !; small, rough table cam
die stuck in bottle burned. There
were pen and ink beside it and some
sheets of manuscript. \ bed stood in
corner and 4 square box beside the
table.
The box or the bed?" asked the host
airily
Il shall sit down on the box if 1
may" answered Mr.. Give.
Then I'll sit on the bed" said the
young man. II take it this is not So
cial visit. So | may ask again what is
your business with me-"
May first have the pleasure of Of
fering you cigar:' said the novelist,
reaching out his case.
Thanks" he said shortly, as if he
could not trust himself to further
speech. He lit the cigar at the sputter-
ing candle and drew Il deep breath of
satisfaction as he tasted its quality.
1T is WELL" said the novelist, ito be-
gin our negotiations with a burnt Of
fering, for | believe the suggestion
which caused me to make this visit
came from the father of fire himself,
whom 1 invoked this afternoon
You mean the devil. | wish he
would come and make an offer to me-"
"He has come for that purpose re-
piled the novelist.
Il say. You look more like Law
renee Give, the novelist. than you do
like Satan.
My friends tell me there is like
ness. l may return the compliment, if
1t be one, by vcnturing the opinion that
If you do not look like Lawrence Give
you write like him.
"Ah," replied the young man, color
ing, you have seen some of my work,
then. Are you an editor? No such
luck, suppose"
mo such luck" echoed the novelist,
"but am acquainted with some men,
bers of the profession, and one of them
allowed me to read n manuscript of
yours. | was struck by the remarka-
BILE limitations of the writings to Mr..
Give.
Eyes" cried the older man, spring
ing to his feet and pacing up and down
the room as the other had done short
time before, shifting his hands togeth-
er; Eyes, of the Give of thirty years
ago. Once Lawrence Give was Il
writer. Today he is cucumber of the
ground. pouring forth trash that no
sane man would care to read.
"Cliye has Il name" continued the
novelist, (which doubtless he does not
value and would gladly exchange it
for the qualities you possess, taking
the risk of the starvation. So that you
may say nothing further about Mr..
Give which might embarrass you after
ward | will now admit that am he"
Good heaven cried the young man
aghast, stopping short in his walk.
do not let us fiatter each other"
the novelist said 81 am man with
name which | cannot now justify and
yet with Il vain dishonesty that leads
me to attempt it. You are Il convicted
pla giarist through necessity. | am the
devil tempting you, and you succumb.
You are the devil tempting me, and
succumb.
81 ask you to leave this wretched
hole and be nominally my private sec
rotary. From row on till the day
die you shall write my stories, and l
shall put my name to them. We will
share the profits equally, as honest
devils should. have no flaming pen
to put signatures to contract, so our
compact must be verbal one. My
carriage is at the door. VIII you Gomez
The literary critics shortly after were
delighted to record thcir opinion that
the veteran Lawrence Give had quite
returned to his old form again.
T,OoI. Her I,ifPynily.