The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-05-24

regular contributor to the Leader
magazine, was we'll pleased with the
story he had just sent to the editor of
that esteemed publication. He felt
In it that confidence which an author
is sure to have in work which has
sprung spontaneously from his pen,
and is not that of the machine made,
laboriously constructed variety. The
tale had occurred to him while travel
ing between New York and Boston,
and was due in the first place to a
glance at a book that a lady in the
seat before him was reading. Nor
risons eye had caught sight of the
familiar poetical line.
If you We're Aprils Lady and I were
Lord of May"
"Swinburne," he unused, 'or a col
lection of selected poems. perhaps.
Wiseacres would say one ought to
guess what reader is like by the
book she favors. but that's nonsense
and anyway | don't know what book
she's reading She has an exquisite
profile and her hair is something be-
wildering. If you were Aprils Lady,
April's lady should be capricious
creature, all smiles and tears, with
winning ways and wilful wiles. i'm.
pulsive and hayward. and thoroughly
enchanting. 1t wouldn't be a bad
idea to write story of such maiden
and call it Aprils Lady Let me
see, what should it be like?"
Morrison fell to bordering. when
suddenly a tale presented itself clear
ly in his mind. The mental action APP
peared to him more like that of re-
Numbering, than composing, so real
and complete was the history. Almost
the whole of the journey was taken
up considering the incidents of the
story and when the train drew into
Boston, he was almost inclined to
lean forward and thank his pretty
neighbor for the inspiration thus
gained.
AS before stated Morrison was
greatly pleased with the result of his
labors and indeed after he had posted
the manuscript reflected with much
satisfaction on its excellence. There
fore his surprise may be imagined
wien, a few days later, he received
the following letter from Mr. Edwards
editor of the Leader.
MY Dear Mr. Morrison: Can you drop
into my office tomorrow about noon?
BY some odd coincidence, / received a
story very similar 20 your Aprirs Lady
and bearing the same title several days
earlier and should like to talk with you
about it. Very truly yours.
B. A. EDWARDS.
Morrison was utterly confounded
He racked his brain in vain to discov-
- who could possibly have repro
Sdced his story. He ransacked his
memory for some old tale which he
might unconsciously have plagiarized,
but could think of nothing and more
over, he reflected that the coincidence
of names certainly could not be &C
counted for in this way, even had he
recalled the germ of his plot.
There is something very singular
about this affair."" remarked Mr.. Ed
wards. as he laid out Morrison's man
uscript on his desk and placed beside
it another one written in a distinctly
feminine hand.
IF the stories were a little more
alike, / should be sure one was copied
from the other, as it is, it is incon-
ceivable that they have not common
origin. Where did you get your idea?"
so far as ] know" returned Nor
rison. q evolved it from my inner
consciousness, but the germ may
have been the unconscious recollec-
ton of some incident or floating idea
Who sent you the other version?"
"A lady of whose integrity, / am as
sure as l am of yours" responded the
edition
The mere similarity of theme isn't
so strange, that happens frequently.
but that the title OF the stories
should be identical, and that in each
the heroine should be named May"
rs her heroine named May?" in
terrupted the astonished author. why
then. she probably got the name in
the same way ] did. / took the title
of the story and the heroine's name
from a line of Swinburne, and"
And" broke in Edwards impa.
tiently, 1T seems she did the same
Look here"
He pointed to the manuscript in the
lady's writing, on the first page of
which appeared the quotation
III you were April's Lady and were
Lord of May"
At that moment the office boy APP
peared and announced that Miss Kate
Deane wished to see the editor.
SHOW her in" said Edwards, then
turning to Morrison, he added: Here
comes your mysterious rival now,
perhaps we shall be able to throw
some light on the subject"
AS tall. graceful figure entered the
sanctum. Morrison started in sur
prise. The well poised head, the per-
feet profile, the mass of heavy brown
hair, were all familiar. IL was the
girl who had sat before him in the
train on that journey from New York
As she bowed in recognition of Ed
wards introduction the young man
fancied that half light of recognition