Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
HOW WORKED OUT MY STORY.


IOrisiaa!l
began my literary career as an au-
Thor and soon after became an editor.
When q friend once asked me the diff
ference between the TWO l replied,
The author is the person who sends
things in, and the editor is the person
who sends them back" After finding
that I could not make living by
scribbljng l secured a position at 1
small salary 10 pass on what other
people wrote | supposed that my ap-
pointment came on account of my
literary taste, but my employer told
me that l was wanted to get rid Of per
sons whose manuscripts the concern
didn't want without offending them.
He had noticed that l had a pleasant,
plausible way with me and had Ell
gagged me on that account. / was In
this view of the case very successful
editor. / received manuscripts with a
smile and turned them down with a
smile
One morning young girl called with
a story, and ] went into the antecoom
10 see her. We never admitted callers
into the sanctum, not that we were
very busy, hut because IL was more
impressive 10 make them think we
were. We wished them to fancy doZ-
ems of Intellectual looking readers pOr-
ing over manuscripts hunting for some
thing worthy of our magazine. l ad-
vanced with my usual smile to meet 4
girl whose smile was anything but
l. h.
handed me the manuscript of Il story,
apologized for its not being typcwrir
ten on the ground that inspiration did
not come mingled with mechanical
means, and she never worked with
typewriter. In my own heart-my au-
thor heart, not my editorial heart-I
felt the truth OF her words / was in
terested in her pretty face and thought
1t possible l might find a gem in her
story. She secured my promise that |
would read it myself, and l told her
would take & home for the purpose
y month passed. l had not only
abandoned authorship, but had direct
ell my mother to clear my closet of my
old unavailable" manuscripts and
burn them. one morning the girl with
going ont 10 see her it suddenly oc-
CURED to me that | had taken her
story home. and il was now doubtless
part of the oblivion of my own
works. l gathered my wits and, put
ting on my smiIe-I made a special
effort-rushed up to her with out
stretched hands. Her own smile was
more charming than ever
Il have been delighted with your
story l said. but have missed the
last page. which you must have omit
ted 10 put in. Besides. some parts are
illegible. Have you another copy
asked the question with n quaking
heart and was paralyzed when she re-
piled that she had given me the only
copy i'll existence. Then she began 10
talk TO me about the plot and the char
acters. Did l like Douglas Chichester.
the hero? Was the climax properly
handled: How about the love pas
sages? She kept up II fire Of questions,
and l, having admitted that / had read
her story, must needs give opinions on
work that | had never seen While
| was doing 50 | was trying to form
some plan by which to eXtricate myself
from the perilOus position. My very
bread and butter was in her keeping
| determined that / must win her
kindliest feelings. and when confident
that She thought too much of me to in
form my employer OF the injury had
done her | would confess all. In order
to see her more Familiarity than was
possible at the office l asked her to
come to my house In few days and l
would tell her Of some changes that l
thought would add to the beauty of her
otherwise beautiful novel.
She kept the appointment, and /, hav-
ing instructed my mother after short
stay with us for propriety's sake to
leave us alone, had a whole evening
with the girl to myself. ] made nu-
merous bIunders in discussing situa-
tons and characters / knew nothing
about. but congratulated myself that
my mastery retreats from the entan-
Cling positions / fell into were sue
cessfuI. and when she went away |
told her there were chapters I must
read over before making final recon-
mendations she thanked me again
and again for my Kindness" and de
parted to come again that day week.
had now got enough knowledge of
her plan and familiarity with her char
acters to talk about them with tOlera-
BILE accuracy. l observed a downCast
look about her when her eyes met
mine that encouraged me. I was hope
fuh that when the denouement to my
own little story came she would suffer
the wrong / had done her without at
least reporting the matter at the office.
Wen, after basking in the sunshine
OF each others smiles for some months.
/, all the while keeping up my willy
deception. made a discovery That
was that she was a dear. amiable crea-
ture. not very smart, but just the girl
/ would like TO make a pet Of for life.
l determined 10 handle the love part
the heart interest" is the professional
term-of my story first, and if I was
accepted the complication" would
work itself ont I'm q delightful climax