The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-16
AN INGENIOUS
CRITICISM


was sitting II my study working on
d plan for a new novel when a servant
entered and handed me card: Miss
Gwendolin Phippa, 4
had never heard Of Miss Phipps,
and especially object to being inter-
rupted by visitors, 50 / tried through
the servant to get rid Of her. Bur /
failed and finally received her.
was not sorry had done SO, for the
moment she entered / saw that she
would make an excellent model for
Bessie Clifford, character was about
to draw. She was petite blond and
as dainty as canary. She came In all
bushes and smiles,
Mr.. Pendleton. l believe Paul PEN
dleton such lovely name for an au-
thor. and notice you always select
appropriate names for your charac-
tiers.
please be seated, Miss phipps, and
tell me what can 40 for you."
III came to thank YOU, she said,
sinking into chair, her silk dress
dropping into graceful folds sbut ilrst
want you to tell me how you found
out file conditions between Wallace
and myself?s
what conditioner What WallaceY'
Wallace 0rmsby, the hero of your
last novel, The True Ring There 1T
Isl" and abe held mp d glittering soil
taire on the third finger of her left
hand 1T was very nice Of you to-
transpose his name and call him Orms-
by Wallace But everybody knew all
the same. AT least and my best and
truest friend, Ida Ross, did. But then,
she knew all about these troubles be-
tween Wallace and me. And how you
did bit of that mean thing, Irene Tew-
ney You didn't call her BY her right
name at all but then you couldn't call
as all by our right Names
My dear young lady, will You kindly
tell me what you are talking aboutYv
Why, about your plot for The True
Ring. Of course. You haven't told me
how you got hold Of 1t Ida declares
she didn't tell, and or course Wallace
couldn't have done SO. Did hep
She looked at me with such pretty.
curious expression / had half d mind
to admit that Wallace bad given me
the whole thing, but feared the false
hood might lend to complications, 20 /
said.
X would like Won to tell me wherein
the plot OF my True Ring comedies
With your own affairs"
Silence gives consent. l knew 1t
must be Wallace who told you. OF
course you had to promise him you
wouldn't Say anything about it. Well,
Wallace and were lovers. just az
Ormsby and Caroline were In the book.
Then Irene Tewnay, or Mabel Blake.
as you cali her, wants him for herself
and interprets the family secret 30 as
to reflect on Caroline (mel. Wallace, de-
spite The convincing circumstances. has
faith In me until be applies the test,
and Caroline gives the true ring OF q
real good, noble girl. The name Is
splendid"
Great heayensl IL this all there is
to that plotf Now / think 1t IL about
all the machinery on which / hung
network OF subtle interpretive philos-
cphy which and high grade critics
consider uniquely Pendletonian
'sYou have not vet told me-" I said,
tthe denoument as IT Is in the real case
your case
why, just as 1t ~ In the book, OF
course, You didn't change 1t q bit.
Wallace applied the test exactly as
ormsby did, and responded (biushlng)
just as Caroline did"
Has 1t occurred TO you that your
lover read my novel and finding
similarity in my imaginary plot to his
own and your conditions concluded to
test you as he didT'
"Well, declare! never thought Of
that / wonder il he did,
After all my character puts q gem
eral case that has occurred between
thousands OF lovers. I admit there Ii
an art in this 10 the book that would
be impossible In real life. though It is
intended to represent real life"
"0rnsby was perfectly lovely, and
Wallace was perfectly lovely too. He
didn't use the same words as 0rrnsby.
but they were just as noble and good
and sweet and nice"
groaned. had read hundreds of
criticisms on my book. but this was
the first that struck me as Ingenious
Ny critic was one moment slapping me
In the face. the next paying me the
highest compliments, at times doing
both at once
Miss Phipps," / said, 'instead Of
your thanking me for bringing you
and your lover together, which is al a
mistake. permit me to thank yon for
this visit. It has created a revolution
in me. Hereafter propose to write
novels that viii be enjoyed BY simple,
ingenious people. Now, want your
permission to use you under an as
sumed name In my next novel;"
"Will your she cried, clapping her
hands. "Will you put me ing And
WallaceT she added timidly.
I'm put You in. As to Wallace.
don't know him, SO couldn't though
would like to Just to please you"
] chatted with her for an hour. get
ting excellent material. much of which
went into my new story just as she
spoke 1t. I have struggled against
small sales OF my books before my
only recompense being the approval Of
few high grade critics. When my
next book appeared gained the more