The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-12-01
EDoInesticDi

'sWhat's thatY' exclaimed Mrs. Blair
a . loud thud in the hall smote upon
her ears.
ITS only the mail carrier throwing
In one of my rejected stories, OF
course" replied her husband resigned
", springing up from the breakfast ID
BILE and disappearing into the hall.
Presently he returned with fat en-
velope, which he tossed beside his
plate. and magazine. which he pro
ceeded to open and glance through.
(which one Is it this timer" asked
his wife sympathetically.
THE mining story / sent of last
Thursday"
"Only Eve days ago! don't believe
they even looked at itv'
.'Oh, yes. they did. They probably
saw Mt a glance that they didn't want
It and were kind enough to ship 1t back
promptly. Perhaps 1t was too long or
too short or Stay, let me see what
the editor does say" tearing open the
envelope and glancing over a printed
slip.
1--WE have read the inciosed manu-
script with interest and regret that 1t
does not seem precisely adapted to our
present needs and therefore return It.
HIM, him! This does not imply any
lack of merit No, of course not. In
fact, my dear. It's the same old story In
the same old way"
He slammed the condemned manu-
script upon the table and resumed his
study Of the magazine.
.Yet plenty Of writer's do get In" he
continued. Here are eight short sto-
ries in this number Of Hampers, and
thousands of others are published ev-
cry month. 1t seems as II everybody
wrote for the press nowadays"
"Even the lawyers" said his wife,
with glImmer Of fun In, her eyes.
"well, even q lawyer doesn't disdain
an OCCASIONAL twenty or thirty dollars
for few hours spare work."
Twenty or thirty dollarsl You are
coming down rapidly In your prices
Last year 1t was forty or fifty. and the
year before 1t was hundred or So"
1.-The law Of supply and demand, my
dear. II had made hit like the au-
thor of Mr.. Jiggs Of the Oyster Bed
my prices would be advancing at a cor
| responding rate. But what was go
ing to say Is this: How do all these
writers get In and why In the mischief
can't get In too7 Jerusalem!"
The expletive was addressed to the
maid, who in setting cup Of coffee
beside his place had splashed some Of
the hot contents over his hand and
upon the tabIecloth. He giared at her
savagely while she awkwardly apollo
gised and mopped up the iuid with a
napkin.
Mrs. Blair frowned at him. as II to
sag, Don't scold herr and then OBJ
served kindly to the maid: "Never
mind, Mary. The cloth would 60 In
the wash tomorrow. anyway. Now.
will You please set finger bowl q
the table"
Mr.. Blair returned to the magazine.
Here Is another story by that new
writer, NJ. Conway. and 1t seems to
start or well. l wish could meet him,
or, more likely, her. for most Of the
new writers seem to be women I'D
say to him. or her: Sir. or madam. how
in the world did you do it? How did
you get In? Was 1t by influence OF
cheek or personal acquaintance with
the editor? Won't you kindly inform
me how It was accomplished? Tell me
how to get in and I'll promise to whach
up half Of my first years profits
A loud crash interrupted his remarks
and. glancing up. he beheld the maid
standing helplessly over the fragments
Of cut glass finger bowl.
"Well, what next7" he began, but
his wife hastily lnterposed. ANever
mind, Mary. A little clean water won't
hurt the rug. and you can sweep up
the glass after breakfast"
n When the maid had withdrawn Mrs.
Blair said to her husband, You must
be careful not to speak 30 sharply OF
well lose her, and don't know where
we could get any one to take her
place"
II "All right" returned Mr.. Blair. "But
there's one thing will Insist upon
She must keep out Of my den. She
was In there again this morning"
"Yes. She asked my permission to
look at your dictionary"
|. THE dictionary! Now, what
As II In answer to his unfinished
question the maid entered, blushingly
handed her mistress a note and quietly
withdrew
With q muttered exclamation OF
amazement Mrs. Blair glanced through
the note and then read 1t aloud:
Dear NadAm-I regret to inform yos
, that our pleasant connection AZ mistress