Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-03-23
The Tale of a Tale

~~~~o-~~~~~~.
81 i started on the small sofa in the
III alcove beside the reading lamp,
and there were only two people
in the room. One of them stood on
the hearth rug, with his back 60 the
tire, looking down on the other as she
sat lingering the manuscript Oh her
lap
why do you want to read it?' she
asked.
Because you wrote e" he an
swered, with great simplicity.
She frowned. You ought to say.
It's because my other stories have been
so successful, and L get such nice
puffs in the papers"
CHOSE reasons may suffice for the
rest Of the world, but they don't for
met
Perhaps you expect too much" she
said, and studied her manuscript
deeply.
DO +" he asked, and studied her
profoundly. The clock licked loudly
and the fire cracked.
by the way" she remarked. you'll
be the first person to read this story
OF mine, SO that l shall be impatient
for your verdictr'
TN read it tonight and report to-
MORROW he assured her, PROMPTLY.
Does the first necessitate the sec
cnd?' she asked, raising her eyebrows.
LAS far as I'm concerned" he an
swered, lowering his, whereupon she
held out her story with a heavenly
smile; but he, being Of a grasping dis
position, took first the manuscript and
then the hand that held it, and-oh-
well.
The clock Gcked loudly and the fire
cracked.
Two hours later he stood in his own
front hall, turning his pockets inside
out by the light Of the midnight oil
then he searched for the front steps
and examined the pavement outside,
and finally patrolled a certain street
20 q certain house till a certain small
hour Of the morning, when he re-
turned to his aboue uttering unholy
words
What are you looking for?" she de-
manded, on entering the drawing room
the next morning.
Nothing" he answered, rising hasti-
" from an evident inspection Of the
carpet. His face was pale, and his
searching eye roamed uneasily over
the furniture.
10Th Ho
something's she suggested, casually.
''Oh, nor he responded, defnantly
So she sat down on the sofa, her face
very grave, but the corner Of her
mouth slightly twitching
well, what do you think of 1t -
she inquired.
''Oh"' he said, with a start. ''That
story Of yours? 1t was great-really
absorbing! I can assure you it kept
me awake until 4 o'clock this morn
ing"
and vet it is comparatively short
You must read very slowly! Do tell
me what you like best about it."
.Oh. well,' he foundered, 81 liked II
all immensely, but what appealed to
me especially was that-er-scene
where the acknowledgements the best
OF it,
And, paying no heed to her blank
looks, he FASTENED on into the safe
waters Of abstract literary criticism
saving: "In those few passages yor
show breadth Of view, right ap
probation Of value, sense Of the
tonal significance which, if I may be-
permitted to say SO, is quite above
the average"
He felt that he was doing we'll. but
at this point she brought him back tt
earth.
do you think" she asked him, ear
nest and wide-eyed, that Gregory
ought to have done it?'
Who" he asked, staggered for the
moment. ''What?" And then recol
lecting himself-"Yes." This stoutly
81 think Gregory was perfectly JUST
fed. | don't see how, under the cir
.cumstances, he could have done other
wise. l am quite certain that in his
place l should have done just the
same thing"
What thing?" she asked, as she
poked the fire with her back turned