The Cairo bulletin., 1906-08-15
Der
Masterpiece
BY MATTE K. NAWN
Copyright, 1903, by Ruby Douglas
BY MATTE X. NAWN

corner was printed BARRIERS Pub.
fishing Company" He smiled IN broth
erly derision.
"Oh Marge" he called, Il guess
this Is your manuscript Back from
Barber's," he added maliciously,
Marge went to the door of her room
and called down irrltably;
well. YOU needn't publish it,
"No; it would be better If they did,'
flung back her brother.
Its funny" he unused, "but the
things you don't want published are nj
ways getting into print, and the things
you want to see IN print end up In the
masterpiece trunk" This IN reference
TO an old box IA which his sister was
wont to deposit her effusions after they
had gone the rounds.
Marge came downstairs, digging her
heels yicously into the carpet at each
step.
"Where is it, she asked.
With an obvious desire TO be as an
uoying rs possible her brother replied,
where's what?'
Marge treated him TO an eloquent
silence. Suddenly she spied the en-.
yelope and pounced upon It. Then She
flung into the sitting room and Topped
angrlly down on the rug before the
fire.
For half 0u hour she sat there, reed
ing aud tossing aside the pages The
loud ticking Of the clock on the nautel-
piece sounded with increasing mo-
notony through the long conscientious
perusal Finally she sighed.
at wasn't any good" she confided 10
herself. IT was too long and too
prosy, and the idea was old Still,"
she added in self Justification, I've
seen Just as bad stun rs that pub
llshed."
Her mother entered the room. Marge
looked up at her with grieyed eyes,
1t came back" she said in cxpluna-
ton Of the pile Of paper at her side
and they'll keep coming back rs long
as stay here I'm tired Of the city.
If | could get away into the country
where | could be absolutely alone day
in and day out l could collect my
thoughts"
Her brother chuckled irreverently.
4 could collect my thoughts" she re-
peated My brain Is Just seething
with ideas, but the moment | begin to
write somebody Interrupts, and vixen /
get back to my work the Inspiration IS
gone And" she added somewhat bit
terly. "here I'm elbow to elbow with
the everlasting economies We're forced
10 practice It's always material
things that receive the first cOnsdera-
tion-it's the coal or the gas or some
thing-all the time. II | could get out
into the country for couple Of
months. for a month even, where no
body knew me, where there was moth
Ing TO remind me of the interest and
The water taxes, where ! could feel for
once in my life that writing was n rec
reation and not a grind, | could write
Il story that would be worth while |
know | could"
Mrs. Dickson stood silent during her
daughters TRADE The look Of sympa-
thetic understanding in her eyes gave
place to harmonious twinkle "Marge
is very young" she reflected, "and she
certainly was never meant to be a
writer"
Marge had been a stenographer to a
successful author, but had lately re
signed her position, electng 10 sup
port herself and keep the family in
luxury 10y writing MIR Bergen wrote
little stories without beginning on end.
for which he received fabulous checks.
II was easy. She could do it too. She
had written" but her stories had all
come back, and now she demanded to
20 away.
Mrs. Dickson sighed. You We're
such good stenographer," she said,
hut stopped abruptly at sight Of her
daughters face She took refuge IN
der cover of the previous question
Il don't see how we can manage 1t.
dear" she said gently. There are 50
many bills to be met and soon the In
surance money falls due We might LET
that stand for a month or So she said.
avoiding her sons eyes.
we cant do that" he said with as
pcrity. "Narge can write here rs well
as i'm the country. She rattles on about
the artistic temperament and its re
quircmcnts' and the proper environ
ment' ana all such nonsense. I've
heard her at # time and again. Now.
/ don't know anything about the ar
tiStic temperament and ! don't want
20. but up to date I've furnished the
requirements and the environment.
and that Is where the artistic tempera-
ment has got 10 sit up and take notice.
A. far as ! can see. the artistic tenn
rrramcnt' is constitutional inability
O. turn brains into money. II Mars,
had bad amy sense she would have
stuck % her typewritiug and sttnos
raphy. Shn was a good steuograplser.
The girls eyes filed with tesrs.
And her brother went on. 1T isn't
%, late vet. You can write your mas
farpicaes on the side be added hu-
morou-ly. Tell sou what Marge." De
..t-,,.,-..1 ...l.,.,. f,atffv .-stby don't Won