The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-08-23
My Checkered Luck
[Original.l.
cts too bad"

Il am dreadfully sorry, my dear
young lady. 1t could not be helped"
Il have been counting on this story
10 give me literary reputation. You
nave ruined all these hopes"
This was ridiculous. The story was
below the average.
The truth is that Howkins, the ed-
tor and proprietor of the magazine,
mad no business to go away and leave
me, scatter Drained youngster, in
full control. l had hosts of friends,
and my mind was absorbed with youth
ful pleasures. AS to my work at the
editorial rooms, Howkins had arrang-
ed 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 it to the composing
room. Among other copy 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
that the story Whats 1t All About?"
was incomplete. Icalled for the copy
and found the last two chapters miss.
ing.
Here was pretty kettle of fish.
ransacked the Office without success;
sent for the author and was Informed
that she had gone on trip, no one
knew where. What was to do? Give
up my outing to search for needle in
q haystack? Not l. My resolution
was taken. 1t was then o'clock. BY
could skim the manuscript, by 6
could write the last chapters and be
ready for the o'clock train instead OF
the 3 o'clock. as had intended.
Had taken more time and put my
mind on my work instead of dwelling
on the outing was to have. afraid all
the while that would miss the train
the last till the next morning-I might
have done fairly we'll. AS it was ]
made frightful mess of the job
mistook the hero for the villain and
brought the story to close by putting
in his mouth hign flown, virtuous
enunciation. The heroine l made to
take back seat, but fortunately on
the same bench with the hero fin.
ished the work at half past 6, gave ii
to a composing room messenger who
was waiting for it, and made dash
for the train
Well, the story came out, and with
1t came the author, pretty girl OF
twenty, who sought me in my Office
with tears in her eyes. Had she storm.
ed could have stood up against her
manfully. AS it was, l could only pre-.
tend to weep, not at the position my
blunder had placed me in, but that
should have ruined her hopes of liter
airy fame. l tod her that seriously
meditated drowning myself Since
made the threat with my head buried
in my arms, both head and arms rest.
ing 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 | looked
into her tear dimmed but forgivina
eyes, | was filled with shame.
MY dear Miss Eaton" l sobbed. ..let
us hope that out of this misfortune
may come some PREPARATION for you
which, taken ut the flood, will lead to
fortune. l am one of those fellows
whose lives are a chain of lucky and
unlucky incidents. am constantly
meeting with misfortune own
fault, dare say-but l always coma
out ahead in TIE game Write a new
story, and will use all my influence
with Mr.. Howkins to have it published
as special feature Now tell me
that you forgive me-"
She put out her hand, smiling through
her tears, and went away, leaving me
to go on repenting my carelessness.
When the first batch of criticisms for
the story of the magazine came in
Draced myself to bear the references to
the tale l had ruined as one about to
be executed nerves himself for the or.
deal. With the first | caught faint
CLEAN OF hope. Here it is:
The story by Miss Eaton, whats IL
All About?" is. judging from it's name
what it is doubtless intended to be-a
puzzle. What principles are covered un-
WV tA'S 9siailf5G eIulilS pfODaDlN only
students of the interpretive school will
be able to explain satisfactorily In this
respect the story will excite great inter
est.
The next was evidently criticism
by some critic who was possibly hurry
ing, as l bad done, to the country and
had only skinned the early part of
the story, for he pronounced the end
ing "iust what might be expected in