The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-07-11
FRANKLIN, La, SATURDAY. JULY II, 1903

she even thought vaguely of writing as
a help; she had plenty of time now
But she put it out of her mind quickly
and went across the way to visit itI
little girl who had married the month
| Lcforo. .-,.. .---,
Even Joe Matthcwson, who had him
self been writing for ten years or more,
and connected edltorially with the big
newspapers, even Joe did not realize
! that a magazine may carry unpublishe ed
manuscripts IN its safe for period OF
quarter of century, He had read
jokes about such things, but these he
had considered as CXaggeraton5. Prob
ably some Of the things he had read
were exaggerated, but turing his first
tlay as assistant editor of the "Juven-
lie he realized that, after all, tho
comic papers had enlarged less than
he supposed
In great safe he found bundles of
dusty MSS, some of them very old
When he yenturod to mention the mat
ter to his chief the latter laughed
Accommodations of the ages" he said.
"MCst of them good enough once. but
hold Up for one reason or another un-
Til they were out of date or didn't
suit somo new policy cf he magazine,
or maybe we got something better in
the same line. There might be some
among the old ones that we could
use now, though-oid things are good
every seven years, you know. When
you want little recreation look them
over.
The managing editor had intended
the last remark half in jest, but Joe
being the new broom in the office
was determined to sweep clean," and
look them over he Gid.
1t took a long while, for there were
more of them than he had calculated
upon. The oldest one had been there
.ince the first month of the magazines
publications. misft from the start,
and bought probably in fear that
enough good fits would not be easily
obtained. These things made Joe sad,
for he had tender heart, and being
a writer himself he knew that the mere
money return is only small part of
the writer's reward. He could close his
eyes and imagine the ambitious young
authors waiting month after month
for the appearance Of their work, final
ly giving up in despair and perhaps I'M
dertaking some trade or profession in
which the rewards were either purely
material or at least not so long de-
ferred.
But the managing editor, who had
grown hardened with time, feigned in
difference. so much the BETTER" he
laughed. THE fellows that wrote some
of those things, and quit, are most
likely presidents of railroads or life
insurance companies by this time, with
salaries Of fifty thousand a year. If
they'd kept on writing they'd been
poorer now than when they started"
Joe came to the end of the great pile
one afternoon. The last MSS. bore 4
date of twenty-siX years before, and
was written in queer schoolgirl sort
of a hand. The paper was yellow and
ink faded but the little story of cOun-
try life it told was as fresh and tender
and life breathing today as when the
warm -blooded girl had |
been made glad by its acceptance, and,
lying in the tall grass. and looking up
at the blue sky, and calling herself an
author, found the world was good, be- |
cause she believed that somewhere in
It was high place which she might |
5ne day hope to win.
Perhaps psychologically something of |
all this came to Joe as he sat staring
out on crowded square, that was
10 longer a crowded square, but green
ields and sunlit river of the little for
gotten tale.
whats the matter, Matthewson?"
lsked the managing editor when Joe
anne in and laid the yellow MSS. on
lis desk. "You don't look we'll"
I'm not. I'm heartsick at the
hought of the girl who could write
hat story waiting and growing old
Without seeing it printed. We haven't
better thing in the safe, and never
will have
The managing editor saddened lit
le, too. ooh, well, we are all growing
Id together" he said; then he picked
p the story and ran his eyes down
he first page. why, yes, remember
his" he continued. 81 thought this q
harming piece of work at the time and
,rOte to the author for more. She nev-
r sent anything else, and for that rea-
on l hesitated about using this. l
cared it might not be original. The
andwriting is rather girlish, you see.
nd l was rather young then and l
ouldn't afford to get caught. Then by
nd by l forgot it. No doubt it was
II right And l wish we could get
.ories like that today. l suppose the J
uthor died, or married, or something
:"
perhaps" said Joe, "but I'd stake
~ life on it being her own work. Sup
ose we try to find what became of
er. We might try the old address"
Half way across the street she met