The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-01-17
Changing a
Climax

N HORNTON slowly uncoiled his
length from the easy chair in
which he had been sitting, stretched
himself, and with lazy sigh remarked:
"Well, I've got to dig back and write a
story"
Frank Ashton looked up with an
amused smile. "Does he marry the
girl?" he asked, slight sarcasm evil
dent in his tone.
Suppose you take the story" said
Thornton, as Ashton skillfully lodged
the book thrown at him, "and find
out. I've been at the machine all the
afternoon, and I'm tired"
ut is not necessary" retorted Ash
ton, II know very well that he does.
il wrote stories like yours 1 should
feel like matrimonial bureau. Still,
I'll take it down for you, not from curl
osity. but out of pure friendship"
Thornton laughed lazfly as he sank
into the chair beside the typewriter.
Its merely a commercial necessity"
he explained, as Ashton placed himself
in front of the keyboard. IF the chap
doesn't marry the girl, you can't sell
the story. And while the wedding
peals are growing to be chestnut bells
in this vicinity, I'd rather have checks
and chestnuts than unhappy endings
and printed slips commencing: Tho
editor regrets that the inclosed manu-
script"
Ashton slipped piece of paper into
the carrier. go on" he laughed; .I'n
be the best man and help you marry
them off,"
Thornton glanced at his friend
thoughtfully. "It's for your own
good, Frank" he said, and then start
ed in to dictate.
1t proved a love story, in which the
hero. a cynical and rather world
weary man, loved a girl to whom he
was afraid to propose, lest the step
should serve only to terminate pleas
ant friendship, which he had thorough
ly enjoyed. 1t drew a picture of girl
hungry for the words of love the hero
withheld, and devised clever situa-
tion by means of which the real state
of her feelings was exposed. When
II was finished Ashton moved back
from the machine and fastened wire
clip on the typewriter sheets.
That's pretty good story, JIM"
he admitted, as he lit fresh cigar,
"but you have a most unholy habit of
making copy out of your friends. I
may be dense, but I'm at least clever
enough to see that you are picturing
Effie Goodwin and myself. The only
difference is that Fife wouldn't marry
the best man on earth, and I'm several
degrees removed from being the best
man. She's so wrapped up in her
career that one can't even talk love
to her, let alone propose"
Thornton had returned to the arm
chair and was regarding his friend
with quiet amusement. you're clever
at some things, Frank" he said. but
when it comes to knowing Effie you
display the intelligence of an oyster.
In spite of your fad for posing as a
man of the world, you're singularly
dense"
what do you mean" asked Ash
ton. quickly. what do you know"
Thornton blew out a great cloud If
smoke. Not much, if let you tell it,"
he said, genially, "and if told you all
! know, you would be wiser than /
am. You needn't try to pump me, be-
cause I'm not going to say another
word"
He lay quietly in the chair. idly
watching Ashton with half-closed eyes
as the latter tramped restlessly
around the library, examining with
painful minuteness the bits of bric-a-
brac with which the apartment was
decorated. Presently he slipped on his
coat. and, catching up his hat, came
over to where Thornton sat. $50 long.
JIM" he said, with badly assumed
air of carelessness; I'm going to take
a rur down the street. Will YOU be
down at the Office tomorrow at
nine?"
Thornton nodded without speaking.
and q moment later the slamming of |
the outside door announced Ashton's
departure.
Thornton sat for awhile, revolving
in his mind the plot of the story he |
wanted to take up. and then, sittips