Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1905-02-17
A Legal :
M Tender
Valentine
BY WILLIS B. HAWKINS
Coeynsk,. 1904. By W. B. H.~tn.
By WILLIS B. HAWKINS
cosy1sh,. 1904. By VIZ 3. H.~ta.

" DGAR WlNSLOW, n stranger
k-~ TO most Of the club diners. had
" been introduced by his friend
the toastmaster, as -our com
ing novelist and had responded bril-
liantly to a trite sentiment. His was
beyond comparison, the speech OF the
evening. and nobody appla uded IL more
enthusiastically tim Air. Barton. the
banker. Later in the evening Mr.. Bar
ton sought an introduction and led
Edgar TO the reading room. where he
might have him all TO himself
Winslow. mellowed by more wine
than it was his custom 10 drink and
tempted by the great bankers fatter-
ing interest told much OF his personal
history and more Of his ambition. He
had really accomplished little as yet
he said-some short stories and few
verses in the magazines were the sum
Of his achievement-but be had long
cherished the central idea of novel
which when written would. he hoped
II was profoundly impressive the way
he modestly refrained from saying
what he hoped
Mr.. Barton was more than ever under
the spell Of the young mans delight
full enthusiasm-and the wine Why
was the great novel unwritten? The
banker had his suspicious. He asked
shrewd questions, adroitly invited con-
iidences and at last convinced himself.
Then. having fixed date when Edgar
should dine with him and his family.
he reluctantly let the interesting guest
rejoin the general company.
An hour or so later the banker. hat in
hand. hade Wlnslow good night. hand
ing him a sealed envelope with the re
quest that he look over this manu-
script" when he reached home
In his little hall bedroom late that
night Edgar opened the envelope and
found 500 in currency, accompanied
by friendly note which begged thou
sand pardons. protested that the paltry
loan was made IN the interest OF lit
erature. expressed the hope that it
would enable the author to write the
great novel at once and assured him
that Mr.. Barton was his ardent admir-
er-Mr Barton and. it might have add
ed To some extent the wine
To the credit Of his good sense be IT
said. Edgar did not deem himself In
suited. If lie felt a touch of mortifica-
ton ii was because be had invited this
aid by talking too freely Of his private
affairs. But the question was. could
lie afford In the circumstances TO ac-
cept tie loan? He was shamefully In
arrears TO his kindly old landlady and
knew that she needed money. There
were other debts, too-a few small
amounts advanced by friends who
could III afford such generosity. And
then the chance TO write the novel.
He ended the controversy in his mind
by resolving TO send promissory note
to Mr.. Barton. due on the 18th Of the
following February.
This seemed businesslike and. as he
figured ii, would give him time to
write and dispose of the novel. for
hope, you know, springs eternal in the
literary breast, fact which, by the
way, is great thing for literature.
Mr.. Barton was a little ashamed Of
himself next morning. To be sure, the
$500 was mere vest pocket amount,
but the principle Of the thing was the
same He had let his emotions get the
better of him in matter OF money,
and that was not business. Moreover,