Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
Miss Wiggs' Prize Story.
Convriebt 1eo2 bv p g. Mcclure. l

ga letter for you, Miss Wigs" said
the postman. smiling.
Little Miss Wigs extended a trem-
bling hand.
She carefully cut the end of the en-
velope with the scissors and drew out
the letter. 1t was very brief:
'The editors of The Story Magazine
take great pleasure in presenting the
Enclosed check as payment of the prize
offered for the best short story submit
ted in their recent contest"
That was all. But a dozen pages OF
praise could not have pleased little
Miss Wigs more. 1t was not large
sum of money. to be sure, but to her it
meant a great deal. Ever since that
day three months before when she had
mailed the story and the required sub
scription money she had waited and
hoped with all the fervor of her little
body.
There had been little sewing for her
to do of late, and she had watched her
income dwindle away with growing
fear. She had never thought of trying
to write till Cordelia Brown one day
brought her copy of The Story Maga-
zine to read. Cordelia was seventeen
years old now and well along in high
school, but she had never forgotten
Miss Wigs kindness of former days.
When the girl was gone, Miss Wigs
picked up the magazine. Almost the
first page to meet her eyes was an adj
vertisement offering a prize for the
best short story submitted before q
certain date. 1t was then that the idea
of trying to write a story first occurred
to Miss Wigs.
She had tale of the first settlers in
her memory handed down from mother
to daughter. as such stories are. More
over, she possessed good education, n
clear mind and plenty of leisure. Moth
ing was more natural. therefore. than
that Miss Wigs should write n story.
In due time the story was completed.
Miss Wigs copied it in her best hand
writing and, inclOsing the dollar de-
manded as one of the conditions of the
contest, mailed it to the magazine.
Then she told Cordelia what she had
done and even read her the first draft
of the story.
When she had finished, Cordelia
shook her head. 81 am sorry, dear
Miss Wigs" she said gently, but 1
am afraid the story will hardly suit
them" Then, with all the kindness
she could command. she explained to
the woman the needs of the magazine.
1t used little else than love stories, she
said, and for that reason the editors
would scarcely take the trouble to eX-
anime manuscripts of another charac-
ter.
But why not try again." she fin
ished brightly. "Our subscription has
expired, and you can send in our re-
newal with the story. Please do, Miss
Wigs"
So Miss Wigs did try again. Some
how as she sat in the darkened parlOr
a plot came to her, an idea for u love
story, unique, clever, interesting. She
told it to Cordelia, and the girl clapped
her hands joyOusly.
"Oh, it's ever so good, Miss Wigs"
she said. And when the story was writ
ten and read to her she gave it exactly
the same praise. And now the story
had won the prize.
The back door opened softly, and
Cordelia entered the house. 1t was
some time before she discovered Miss
Wigs in the parlOr. AS the girl enter
ed the room the woman looked up with
a smile lighting her thin face.
''See. COrdelia,' she said. with child
ish glee 81 won the prize"
Cordelia did not smile. Drawing q
oh iYsc In 10 ol,n
the magazine in her hand.
81 am going to read you story" she
said slowly, that was printed several
yc~-.s ago"
n. Wigs smiled at the girl loving
ly as she listened to the first few
words. Then the smile gave way to a
look of wonCerlnent that in turn
changed to one of main. When the
story was ended. 81. 1ohed up at the
girl with tears in her eyes
You don't think, Cordelia"- she be-
gan brokenly.
COrdelia sprang to her side and
placed an arm caressingly around the
woman.
Dear Miss Wiggs," she said quick
ly, perhaps it was merely a coinci-
dence or it may be you once read this
story and then forgot it till it came
back to your memory. apparently an
original idea"
They sat silently in the little parlor
till twilight fell. Miss Wigs bravely
kept back the tears. but the hand that
Cordelia held trembled constantly.
The postman's step sounded on the
front porch, and Miss Wigs opened
the door for him. He handed her
long blue envelope
MY story of the first settlers" she
explained to Cordelisl noting the name
of The Story Magazine on the envelope.
She tore it open and slipped out the
manuscript. A little note came with it.
Read it, Cordelia." she said. my
eyes are not very clear today"
''The editors of The Story Magazine"
read Cordelia, return the inclosed
manuscript with much regret. Well
written and readable as it is, the plot
is somewhat hackneyed and for that