The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-11-17
f'be ia m G
Old Grooves
IOriginal. I

The I4a!gGonS were a great publish
me house Stephen Langdon had sur
vived all his brothers, who were his
partners, anG Was IL receipt of the
whole income arising from the bust
ness. His son Montgomery was a dis
appointment to him. Montgomery took
prizes While in college in literary con-
tests. and It was predicted that he
would be a second Hawthorne, for he
had a delicate, dreamy, weird touch.
When Montgomery came back home
after graduating and his father told
him to so down into the packing room
and begin 4 thorough learning Of the
business, the young man WINGED. He
wanted to write. not publish. His ia
ther tod him he was 4 fool. Mont
c0mery decided to follow the business
for gain and literature for pleasure.
The young literary-publisher had
scarcely been through the various de
partMents when his father died, and
the son found himself sole owner of
the business He called one Of the
eldest and most trusted employees Mr..
Watson, into his Office and turned over
to him the management. The owner
ship he kept for himself Then he
went to work on a novel he had long
+, had in mind.
1t soon got out that Montgomery
Langdon, escheWing business for the
love of art, had turned author, and he
was besieged with applications from
publishers for the right to bring out
his book. Montgomery preferred that
another house than his own should
publish his work. He made contract
with one Of them, the publisher agree
ing to spend large amount in adver-
Using. The book was a great success.
Several hundred thousand copies were
sold, and Montgomery Langdon was
regarded a unique literary success, a
publisher who published through a ri
val house. Stories about the forecast
of his success while in college, his re-
ported contempt for the business of
which he was owner, were profusely
mingled in all the literary chitchat.
The new star was run down with or
ders for anything he would write from
a thousand to three hundred thousand
words. Of course he was pleased but
was somewhat staggered by an editor
Of magazine who sent him a check
for $1,000 and q short story. He was
to put his name to the story and keep
the check lie returned both.
Since Langd0n wrote for pleasure
only he decided to take a rest abroad
before doing other work, or, rather, tc
gather material among new scenes.
He yentured on deck one stormy day
Just in time to meet a sea" that had
been shipped and was washed over
board. All sorts of floats were thrown
TO him. but to stop an ocean liner and
turn it about or back is 4 time tax
ing job. LaDgdon was not discovered
= on the surface Of the deep. and after
some time spent in the futile search
the steamer went on.
One morning q man with~ansI italian
accent appeared at the Langdons pub
fishing house and left the manuscript
of novel for inspection In two
weeks to a day it was returned to him.
He went to the publishing house and
asked to see the readers report on
his work. He was Informed that this
was contrary to custom. but he begged
SO hard that his request was complied
with. The report was as follows:
This is devoid Of any literary merit
whatever. 1t would make a splendid
play. but as a novel it would be a COM
pIete failure.
The italian gentleman submitted his
novel to other firms and secured a look
at several readers reports. They read
as follows:
The demand just now being for dramat-
ic novels, and this being without any
dramatic features whatever, I would de-
cline it.
The scene is laid in Florence, but the
author has probably never been there
himself. I have read enough of that
famous city to feel that I was born there
and don't hesitate to say that the author
has got places very much mixed. His
pictures of high life in Italy are absurd.
No literary merit Decline.
The Italian author ceased to worry
publishers with his worthless produc-
ton, but the day after his withdrawal
Montgomery Langd0n walked into the
Langdons' publishing house, went into
his private office, opened his desk and
rang for his manager, who, entering,
started back as if he had seen a ghost.
MIR. Watson" said the publisher, Il
have come to life you see; picked up
by a sailing vessel; went to Italy,
where l married the Princess de Ma
RIM; spent my tine dawdling at court
and writing q novel Of Italian high
life"
The employee congratulated his en-
ployer, was delighted at his return and
ended his flattering address by asking
if the firm would not this time reap
the benefit of his literary success.
A bright fire was burning in the coy
private Office The publisher took 4
package done up in wrapping paper
from his desk and committed it to the
flames
There's my publisher" he said.
ssI've made up my mind that there's no
union between art and business. They
stand distinctly separate. III rare in-