Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-08
DAILY SHORT STORY
Story of a Criticism.
[Original.l

Great Scott. Who would have
thought it: Helen Young an author:
Well, l am in a pickle
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 Will be sur
prised TO learn that / am the author of
the story THE Veil Lifted" which you
have dismissed with such conIemptuous
notice in your PAPER Wishing To get your
unbiased opinion Of my work. l said
nothing TO YOU about il. confident that
your ignorance -Of the name under which
il is published would insure an honest
criticism Far be it from me to find fault
with you for chat 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 unused Reid,
:'wouid suppose this merely Il woman's
thanks for an ingenious criticism.
know better No woman il going to
spend months or perhaps Years on a
cherished labor and have it knocked in
the head with impmity, and if | know
Helen Young this is the feather that
breaks the camel'S back. | have had
uphill work against Bartlett anyway,
and this episode will tip the scale in
his favor.
Reid was right i'll his Interpretation
of the letter he had received. In pro
portion Ia her predispuSitiOn TO him
and her respect for his literary opinion
was her wrath at his criticism. She
deceived herself by the illusion that
after all she preferred his rival and
did not admit tO herself that she would
have IL delicious revenge upon Reid
when she permitted Bartlett TO an
nounce his engagement with her This
permission. given III an equiNNDcal way.
was taken advantage of Immediately,
and the announcement came to Heid'S
ears.
They say" Reid muttered. % that
mine enemy would write a look" Bet
ter write the book yourself aud have
your enemy criticise it.
This sudden engagement SO soon aft
er the fatal criticism somewhat altered
Mr.. Reid'S opinion of the 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. AIS fair in love and III
war" He did notfolIow up his note 10
Miss Young by calling upon her and
did not see her for several weeks. He
then met her at the house of Il friend
He bowed To her. assuming inditfer-
ence. She smiled upon him-well. one
cannot say graciOusly. Her smile was
rather one of triumph.
"Oh. Mr. Reid" she said. I'm SO
glad To meet you, Come. let us have Il
talk" And she led him away from the
others. Now. | want you 10 tell me
why my book was so bad"
Il criticised your book" he replied.
with dignity. mot you. / have no fault
10 find with you. Let us turn to a more
pleasant subject"
Not at all. | am entitled as an Old
friend to the benefit of your counsel
and advice. They will aid me in my
future work"
Very well. 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 fash in the girls eye. a
mounting of color to her cheek.
Then you handled your love parts
badly and disappointed your readers
by making your hero marry a popiniay
when the rival was. though common
place. a fairly good fellow"
Thank you" said Miss Young, biting
her lips.
Your man Mackinson''-
'Mackinson. Who's Mackinson?
What are you talking about
Your hero You have made his feats
as impossible as himself. Then your
Lucy Tangletield's career is as tangled
as her name. So far as
"Will you please tell me who all
these people are: l never heard of
them"
Your characters AS was say
ing
will you stop: My characters are
not MackinsOn and Lucy TanglewoOd
or any such people"
Are not they the characters of The
Veil Lifted?"
They are not
Then" said Reid. Il must have been !
laboring under mistake and got your
book mixed with another. You see.
we have so many 10 read that it often |
leads To serious mistakes Mention
some incident. some name, in your sto
~ by which | may recognize it,"
The hero's name is Adair. the hero
ines
Claudia GrammOnt. DO YOU mean
10 tell me you wrote that book? The
style * perfect. the plot remarkable.
In parts there is evidence of positive
genius
Miss Youngs eyes were lighted. Her
cheeks were glowing with Il different
motive from that of Il moment ago. She
was quite sure she had not made n
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 |