The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-01-03
How | WORKED OUT
NY STORY.

began my literary career Gs an au-
thor and soon after became an udito;.
When friend once asked me the dit
ference between the two l replied
The author is the person woo SENDS
things in, and the editor is the pcrsJn
who sends them back" After hnding
that ! could not make a living by
scribbling | secured position at \
small salary TO pass on wha- other
people wrote. | supposed that my Ip.
pointment came on account Of my
literary taste. but my employer tod
me that was wanted to get rid OF PEI.
sons whose manuscripts the concern
didn't want without offending them.
He had noticed that | had a pleasant.
plausible way with me and hai en-
gagged me on that account. was in
this view OF the case a very successful
editor. | received manuscripts with a
smile and turned them down" with a
smile.
One morning a young girl called
with a story, and l went into the ante
room to see her. We never admitted
callers into the sanctum, not that We
were very busy, but because 1t was
more impressive to make them think
we We're. We wished them to fancy
dozens of intellectual looking readers
poring over manuscripts hunting for
eomcthing worthy of our magazine.
advanced with my usual smile to meet
girl whose smile was anything but
usual. 1t was unusually sweet. She
handed me the manuscript of a story,
apologized for its not being typewr!t
ten on the ground that inspiration dtd
not come mingled with mechanical
means, and she never worked with
typewriter. In my own heart-my au-
thor heart, not my editorial heart-I
felt the truth of her words. was in
terested in her pretty face and thought
It possible ] might find a gem IN her
story. She secured my promise that
would read It myself, and l told her
would take 1t home for the purpose.
A month passed. had not only
abandoned authorship but had direct
ed my mother to clear my closet of ny
old unavailable" manuscripts and
burn them. One morning the gill with
the pleasant smile called, and before
going out TO see her il suddenly oc-
CURED to me that had taken her
story home and it was now doubtless
part OF the oblivion of my own
works. l gathered my wits and, put
ting on my smile-I made a special
efort-rushed up to her and out
stretched hands. Her own smile was
more charming than ever.
81 have been delighted with your
story" said. but have missed tie
last page. which you must have omit
ted TO put in. Besides, some parts arc
fllegible. Have you another copyF
asked the question with gudcking
heart and was paralyzed when sne
replied that she had given me the only
copy in existence The she BEGAN TO
talk to me about the plot aud the
characters. Did | like Douglas Chi
chester, the hero? Was the climax
properly handled? How about the
love passages? She kept up fire OF
questions. and /, having admitted that
/ had read her story, must needs give
opionions on work that had never
seen. While | was doing so was try
ing to form some plan by which -
extricate myself from the perilous po-
sition. My very bread and butter was
in her keeping. l determined that /
must win her kindliest feelings, and
when confident that she though, too
much OF me to inform my employer
OF the injury l had done her would
confess all In order to see her more
fam'!iarly than was possible at the
Office | asked her TO come to my
house in few days and | would tell
her OF some changes that though.
would add TO the beauty OF her otter-
wise beautiful novel.
She kept the appointment, and !
having instructed my mother after a
short stay with us for propriety's sake
TO leave us alone. Lad a whole evening
with the girl myself / made nu-
merous blunders in discussing situa-
tions and characters | knew nothing
about, but congratulated myself that
my mastery retreats from the entan.