The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-12-30
STORY OF A
CRITICISM
fOriginal.l

l4lO06AA ~ az 1OuA& all dul4OTl
Well. | am in a picker
So spoke Leslie Reid. tossing a note
on his desk and leaning back disconsO-
lately in his revolving chair. This was
the letter:
My Dear Mr.. Reid-You viii be m,r-
prised to learn that | am the author Of
the story THE Veil Lifted" which you
have dismissed with such a contenptuous
notit III Your paper. Wishing to get your
unbiased opinion of my work. | saic
aotnins To you about it. confident that
your ignorance of the name under which
1t is published would insure an honest
cri Far be it from me to find fault
with you for that criticism. We who lay
traps to learn the truth as to what our
friends say of us and our works must not
grumble at our success Sincerely,
HELEN YOUNG.
"One who knows nothing about the
Inconsistencies of the sex" mused Reid.
thanks for an ingenious criticism. |
know better. No woman is going to
spend months or perhaps years on a
cherished labor and have it knocked in
The head with impunity. and if | know
Helen Young this is the feather that
breaks the camels back. | have had
uphill work against Bartlett anyway,
md this episode will tip the scale in
lis favor"
Reid was right in his Interpretation
If the letter he had received, In pro
PORTION to her predisposition to him
md her respect for his literary opinion
vas her wrath at his criticism. She
deceived herself by the illusion thai
litter all she preferred his rival and
lid not admit 10 herself tina she would
nave a delicious revenge upon Reid
when b permitted Bartlett to an
lounce his engagement with her. This
permission. given in an equivOcal way.
was taken advantage of Immediately.
md the "ouncem came to Reid'S
ears.
They say Reid muttered. 20 that
mine enemy would write a bookr Bet
ter write the book yourself and nave
your enemy c~riticise it,
This sudden engagement so soon aft
er the fatal criticism somewhat altered
Mr.. Reds opinion of he best way to
handle the matter. He had some
doubts as to the engagement being
bona fide, and it led him to act upon
the adage. ATS fair in love and in
war" He did not follow up his note to
Miss Young by calling pon her and
did not see her for several weeks. He
then met her at the house of u friend
He bowed to her. assuming indiffer-
.nce. She smiled upon him-well. one
canno say graciously. Her smile was
rather one of triumph.
"Oh. Mr.. Reid" she said. I'm so
glad to meet you. Come. let IS have a
talk" And she led him away from the
others. Now. | want you to tell me
why my POOL was so bad"
Il criticised your book" he replied,
with dignity. not you. | have no fault
TO find with YOU. Let us turn to "a more
pleasant subject"
Not at all. | am entitled as ali Ole
friend to the benefit Of your counsel
and advice They will aid me in my
future work"
"Nery we'll. Since you insist upon it
| must say that your style is faulty
and gives the impression that the work
was done under different moods"
There was a flash in the girls eye, a
suOUHlllIS OI COIOT u u6I cu6ph.
"Then you handled your love parts
badly and disappointed your readers
by making you hero marry u porinjay
when the rival was. though: Common
place. a fairly good fellow. ~''c
THANK you" said Misgo bunG biting
her lips. 10
Your man M~ackinson"-
FGcfMackinson. Who's Mackinson?
What are YOU talkin" about?"
"Your hero. You have made his feats
as impossible as himself. Then your
Lucy Tangleield's career is as tangled
AS her name. So far as
"Will you please tell me who all
these people are? | never heard of
them"
Your characters. AS | was say.
ing
Twill o stop? My characters are
not Mackinson and Lucy T~anglewood
Or any si!ch people.
Are not they the characters of The
Veil Lifted?'"
"They are not"
Then said Reid. 81 must have been
iaboring under Il mistake and got your
JUN tIiIAtu VIII uuOtneF. lou StP. |
we have so many to read that it often
leads 10 seriou mistakes. Mention
some incident. solne name. in your sto-
ry by which Emay re ogniZe it,"
THE hero's name is Adair. the hero
ines
Claudia Grammont. Do you meat
TO tell me you wrote that book? The
style Is perfect. the plot remarkable
In parts there is evidence of positive
genius"
Miss Young's eyes were lighted. Her
cheeks were glowing with a different
motive from that of a ago. Sht
was quite sure she had not made 8
mistake. after all. and that Reid was
her choice. The meeting was inter
rupted by The hostess. and the two sep
arated without further explanations.
which were not necessary. Miss Young
sent for Mr.. Bartlett and rated him
so'lndly for his premature
ment. and u few evenings later she ac
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