The Holly chieftain., 1906-08-17
My Checkered Luck
[Original.l

"Irs too bad"
Il am dreadfully sorry, my dear
young lady. 1t could not be helped"
b give me a literary reputation. You
have ruined all these hopes"
This was ridiculous. The story was
below the average.
The truth is that Howkins, the edi-
tor and proprietor Of the magazine.
had NO business to go away and leave
ne, a scatter Drained yOungster, in
full control. l had hosts of friends,
and my mind was absorbed with youth
2ul pleasures. AS to my work at the
editorial rooms, Howkins had arrang-
ID everything before his departure, SO
that there was nothing TO do but take
the copy for the next issue out of his
desk and send 1t to the composing
room. Among other copy l sent up
story called whats 1t All About?" by
Miss Mildred Eaton. ! was locking
my desk one Friday afternoon prepara-
tory to going into the country till the
following Tuesday when message
came down from the composing room
hat the story whats 1t All About?'
was incomplete. l called for the copy
and found the last two chapters miss
hg.
Here was pretty kettle of fish.
Bansacked the Office without success;
sent for the author and was informed
that she had gone on trip, no one
knew where What was l to do? Give
up my outing to search for needle in
q haystack? Not l. My resolution
vas taken. 1t was then o'clock. By
4 ! could skim the manuscript, by 6
could write the last chapters and be
ready for the o'clock train instead of
he 3 o'clock, as had intended
Had / taken more time and put my
mind on my work instead Of dwelling
On the outing l was to have, afraid all
ths while that l would miss the train
ths last till the next morning-I might
have done fairly well. As it was
made 4 friehtful mess of the job. 1
n1stook the hero for the villain and
brought the story to close by putting
IN his mouth a hign flown, virtuous
snunciatton. The heroine l made to
take a back seat, but fortunately on
ths same bench with the hero. l fin
hhed the work at half past 9, gave it
10 4 composing room messenger who
was waiting for 1t, and made a dash
Ter ths train.
Well, the story came out, and with
4 came the author. 4 pretty girl Of
twenty, who sought me In my office
With tears in her eyes. Had she storm
- could have stood up against her
nanfully. As It was, could only pre-
tend to weep, not at the position my
baunder had placed me in, but that l
should have ruined her hopes of liter
Afy fame. told her that seriously
nasdttated drowning myself Since /
made the threat with my head buried
IN my arms, both head and arms rest
fng on my desk, my whole body shak-
ing convulsively, she feared would
carry it out When she raised my face
with her own soft hands and l looked
into her tear dimmed but forgiving
syss, was filed with shame.
my dear Miss Eaton" sobbed, 'let
- hope that out of this misfortune
may come some reparation for you
which, taken at the flood, will lead to
foRtune. / am one Of those fellows
whose lives are chain of lucky and
mlucky incidents. l am constantly
meeting with misfortune-my own
fault, dare say-but l always come
out ahead in the game. Write a new
story, and I will use all my influence
With Mr.. Howkins to have it published
~ special feature Now tell me