Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-03-19
The Tale of a Tale


81 started on the small sofa In the
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 10 the
fire. looking down on the othec as she
sat lingering the manuscript or her
lap.
why do you want to read it," she
asked.
Because you wrote -" he an
swered, with great simplicity.
She frowned lyon ought to say,
/ it's because my other stories have been
so successful. aud | get such nice
puffs In the papers"
'Those reasons may suffice for the
rest of the world, but they don't for
mer'
Perhaps you expect too much!' she
said, and studied her manuscript
deeply.
do II" 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 / shall be impatient
for your verdict
I'm read it tonight and report to-
morrow" he assured her. promptly.
Does the first necessitate the sec
ondY she asked. raising her eyebrows.
4 A. fa hn
swered. lowering his. whereupon she
/ held out her story with heavenly
smile; but he being of grasping dis
/ position, took first the manuscript and
then the hand that held it, and-Oh-
well,
The clock 9, &ed loudly and the IRE
cracked.
Two hours later he stood in his own
/ front hall turning his pockets inside
out by the light Of the midnight oil;
/ theu he searched for the front steps
and examined the pavement outside,
and finally patrolled certain street
/ to Il certain house till certain small
hour Of the morning, when he re-
turned to his abode utterlng unholy
words
What are you looking for?" she de-
manded. on entering the drawing room
the next morning.
Nothing" he answered, rising hasti-
ly from an evident inspection of the
carpet. His face was pale. and his
searching eye roamed uneasily over
the furniture.
Il thought Won might have dropped
something! she suggested casually
oh. no. he responded. detinantly.
SO she sat down on the sofa. her face
very grave, but the corner of her
mouth slightly twitchng.
Well, what do you think of It g
She inquired,
Oh" he said with start. THAT
story of yours: 1t was great-realy
absorbing, can assure you 1t kept
ME awake until O'Clock this morn.
ing"
And Yet it is comparatively short.
You must read very slowly, 10 tell
me what You like hest about It,"
oh. Welt '.he iioGndered, ''I.lked il
all immensely hut what appealed 10
me especially was that--er- scene
where the heroine gets the best
of IT,"
And paying no hped to her blank
looks, he FASTENED on into The safe
waters of abstract literary criticism.
saying In those few passages YOU
show Il breadth of view. right an.
probation Of value sense of the
toual significance which. il may he
permitted TO SAY SO, is quite above
the average"
lie felt that he was doing well. but
ut this point she brought him back to
earth
DO Won think. she asked him. ear
nest and wideeyed, "that Gregory
ought 10 have done it:"
Who he asked. staggered for the
moment WHAT" And then recol.
J Letting hlm~clf-"Y Yes. This Stout}y.
Il think Gregory was perfectly iustt-
fed don't see how. under Inc cir.
cumsauge~, he could have done other.
wise. l am quite certain that in hi,
place should have done iust the
same thing"
What thug?" she asked. as She
poked the fire with her back turned