Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-18

DAILY SHORT STORY
THE SAME OLD GROOVES.
[Original.l

lOriginaLl
The LanGdons We're a great publish
ing house. stephen I-angdon had sur
vived all his brothers. who Were his
partners. and was in receipt of the
whole income arising from the bust
ness. His son Montgomery was a dis
appointment 10 him. Montgomery tool
prizes while in college in literary con
tests. and II was predicted that he
would be second Hawthorne. for he
had a delicate. dreamy. weird touch
When Montgomery came back home
after graduating and his father told
him TO go down into the packing room
and begin Il thorough learning of the
business. the young man WINGED. He
wanted TO write. not publish. His ia
Their told him he was II fool. Mont
gomery 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 so0 owner "
the business. He called one of the
oldest 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 II 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 besiesed 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 Il large amount III adver-
Using. The book was n great success.
Several hundred thousand copies We're
sold. and Montgomery Langtlon was
regarded a unique literary success. IL
publisher who published through Il 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 lie would write from
"a Thousand 10 three hundred thousand
was somewhat staggered by an editor
for 5000 and short story He was
TO put his name 10 the story and keep
the check. lie returned both.
Since Langdon wrote for pleasure
only he decided 10 take a rest abroad
before doing other work. or. rather. IL
gather material among new scenes.
He yenturcd OH deck one stormy day
just in time To meet a sea" that had
been shipped and was washed over
board. All sorts of floats We're thrown
TO him, but 10 stop an ocean liner ald
turn IL about or back is a time TAX
ing job. Langdon was not discovered
on the surface OF the deep. and after
some time spent in the futile search
the steamer went on.
One morning a man with an Italian
accent appeared at the Langdons' pub
fishing house and left the manuscript
OF novel for inspection. In two
weeks TO Il day IL 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. II would make splendid
play. but as novel il would be COM
plete 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-
&c novels. and this being without any
dramatic features whatever. / would de-
cline 10.
The scene. Is laid in Elorczce.- hut the