The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

Copyright. 1905. by Samuel T. Tucker'
 Rv Charles BattelI Loomis, Author of cheerful Americans Moore Cheerful Americans" 'Minerva's Ma noeuvres," etc. The fact that my book. The Cruise og the Mudskowski.' sold well was al- most entirely due to Rcggy stewart.
 My cousin Helen says that l am too modest; that the book would have saId anyhow: that never since George Eliot laid down her pen has such an able sea story been written. but she knows nightly little about DOCKS, ana when I faced her down I found she meant Clark Russell instead of George Eliot.
 You see. the publication of the book was delayed owing to printer strike. and it did not got into the hook stores until few days before Christmas and by that time all the books that were going to sell were go- ing like hot cakes and they showed "The Mudskowski" of into corner where no one could see 1t.
 i know this Is so because went in- to ten book stores and In each case wher I asked for it tho clerk at first said they were all out of it and oner- ed me rom Cringle's Log" or The Cruise of the Cacfelot" or The Pirate in piace of it. but when l said had particular reasons for wanting that one they looked it up and in each case hrcusht me the only two copies they had thought 1t worth while to buy. and then I had to say only wanted to look at the pictures and see Whetn- crit was suitable for my nephew.
 And in each case the clerk kept ms CT her temper, although 1t was so near Chri8tmas and they were urea 10 death. ts5.-
 Of course it was merely my vanity that prompted me. I wanted to see my book on sale. But my vanity re- cefved several distinct shocks, for at least three. of the salesmen satd the book didn't look very inviting ana 70 bAtter buy Henty's latest if my nepne" was boy.
 Ana iu the last store the salesman gas a real salesman. and the first thing I knew he had sold me ply own book at list price. and had not thought of asking for authors dis count until it was too late.
 It was next day that l got note erom Reggy Stewart.
 suppose I ought to say something about him. He is pretty well Known ko the public under another name and for three reasons: he is very eccentric and he is very rich and he is famous artist He is the man who when he was married gave the minister par .AI minister, who was not at all well off and who had really expected some- thing big in the way of a fee, was nearly heart broken. Of course he eealized that 1t was just absent-mind- sdness on the part "f Reggy and he vent to his wife almost weeping. He couldn't write to Reggy and say:
 "Dear Sir.--You have inadvertently sent me a pair of your old gloves. II wou will send me my fee l will kindly eeturn them"
 That wouldn't have done at all, be. .ause ministers have their own code of ethics and such a proceeding would nave been unethical in the last de- gree.
 But that minister had wife who was intuitive to the bottom of her cerebrum She really ought to have been a novelist Instead of being a minister's wife. Perhaps she was for all | know. Most everybody is now a-days. Anyway she said: "Goosey' perhapS be has tucked a hundred dol :. ar bill in the finger of one of them.
 ap sNe turned one of the gloves tn-