Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-27
DAILY. STORY.
THE EMPEROR'S CLOTHES.

poet.
1t happened that Mrs. Paul Court
ney was very practical. Few women
have so completely depended on theiI
! brains instead of their feelings for re
suits as she. Among other traits she
possessed that of observation, and
| what she observed she could utilize
| One evening she read to her little son
story of Hans Andersen's. An en-
| peror was fond of dress. Two rogues
came to town and claimed to make
| clothes of so fine a texture that those
who were stupid and unified for their
| positions could not see them. The
rogues were ordered to make clothes
| for the emperor. When they were be-
| ing woven he sent his prime minister
| to see how they looked. The rOgueS
We're working on nothing. The minis
ter supposed he was too stupid to see
the fabric and untitled for his posi-
ton. Not willing to admit his I'M
worthiness, he reported to the emperor
that the clothes were splendid. 9th
ers made the same report. When the
clothes came the emperor saw nothing,
but, not willing to admit his defcien-
cies. accepted them, put them on and
appeared in them before the whole
city. All, supposing that they were de-
ficient, applauded the clothes except q
little child, who said, The emperor
has nothing on at ALL"
That night Mrs. Courtney stole one
of her husbands oft neglected poems,
entitled In Imitation of Poe" put an
appropriate heading on it, copied 1t in
Poe's handwriting (she possessed
Autograph specimen, signed his name
to it and sent it to Song and Story,
high grade magazine. with a letter
stating that she had found it among
the papers of her grandfather, who was
an intimate friend of the great poet.
She signed q fictitious name to her let
ter.
The poem was published at once and
produced q sensation. Critics, who
doubted its authenticity, did not dare
risk such an opinion. So they review
ed it critically, pointing out those beau
ties which were to be found only In
the writings of Poe Young people of
literary aspirations dotted upon 1t, and
the great mass of the people, supposing
their betters knew all about 1t, accept
ed their opinions without questioning
them.
One evening Paul Courtney picked
up a copy of the magazine containing
his poem and, turning the leaves, |
sprang from his chair. With indigna |
ton and establishment. he called his |
wife's attention to the liberty that had |
been taken with his work. She advised |
him to go at once to the editor and |
make a vigorous protest. Courtney, |
after a sleepless night, invaded the |
editorial sanctum and confronted the |
editor.
THAT poem," he said, has been de-
clined by every magazine, including |
your own, and when some person, I'M
known to me. sends it In as one of
POe's you publish it, and the whole lit
erary world goes mad over it. Now,
sir, what are you going to do about itf'
The editor gave way to thought for
awhile and then said:
1.-The error must remain unexplained.
The matter will soon be forgotten"
Il Will have 1t up in the courts
Suppose, Mr.. Courtney, we give you
unlimited space in our columns for one
year by way of reparation?'
HIM" said the poet, soothed
would you be willing to settle on
that basis 90
Certainly. On no account can we
have this matter get out to the pub
lic"
"Done" said Courtney. And he went
home to inform his wife of the result
Of the interview.
The next issue of the magazine con-
aimed poem by Paul Courtney which
vas mentioned favOrably by several
critical journals Mr. Courtney's pho
ogravure appeared in catalogues of
authors, and it was not long
before his poems and his physiognomy
we're alike familiar to the public.
What the critical journals pronounced
EXCELLENT the general reader accepted
s such Every magazine tried to Sc
IRE poems from Mr.. Courtney. but he
lad all the space lie wanted in one.
AT the end of year the poet was
l6dfied that he would be given no
nore space in Song and Story. Hav
1g made a name for himself, he was
OF disturbed. But in time the editors
f other periodicals noticed the omis-
ion, and Courtney's poems began to
ONE back as of yore. His wife told
i'm that he had had his day in the
Oetic world and should be satisfied.
lie wisely decided to take her advice.
One evening Mrs. Courtney, seeing
few simple verses signed Buck
We" in a newspaper, read them to
er BARNS. They were received with
eight. Courtney, coming into the
pom, noticed what had taken place.
nd it occurred to him to test some of
is own work in the same way. Sc
,cting several of the simplest of his
oems, he read them to the children.