Evening journal., 1907-05-13
THE AUTHOR OF
"FETTERS UNLOOSED.'
IorlRinnLl

printer is not usually far behind him.
There were more Of both these classes
In the club mentioned than Of authors,
few Of whom had money to pay the
dues.
But this Is depression. The party
were discussing a new book that had
just been published by firm, one Of
the Junior members Of which was pres
ent, "Fetters UnlOosed." 1t had met
with instant success. The authors
name was not given. the nom de plume
being Emery Periwinkle. 1t was one
Of those gilded pills the worid-that
world which reads sensational novels
loves to swallow. 1t gave an excuse
for what many people desired. but re-
Trained from doing, and some do with
more OF less resistance. IL would have
been well enough except that It's prln-
ciples II carried into effect would break
up perhaps one family in every three
or Eve.
Come. Stanton" said one OF the
men present to the publisher; "tell US
who Emery Periwinkle is."
Couldn't possibly. II would be a be-
trayal OF confidence"
at least tell US II the author Of
'Fetters UnlOOsed' is man or woman"
Couldn't do that, either"
''No woman would ever have taken
that view Of the subject" said one OF
the party"
"Why notT'
"she would need to have been cor
rupted by bad world. and my expert
ence is that only women who wish to
be corrupted are corrupted"
II don't think much Of that argu-
ment," said another, "but It Is not
needed. Everything In the book is
from a mans standpoint"
'I'll tell you what I'll do" said Stan
ton. "rll make pool. There ore four
Of you. I'll put in So for each Of you.
Then I'll give a supper to twenty peo-
pie, the author Of 'Fetters Unloosed' to
be among the number. You shall
throw dice for choice. The one throw
ing the highest number may pick out
FIVE pepsons, each man in succession
thus picking out FIVE. Whoever has
included the author in his number
wins the pool"
Where do you come inT
'T2 Oh, we'll make the number OF
guests twenty-one: This leaves one
unchosen. Ilr take the one left out"
Stanton could we'll afford the treat,
and the others were much pleased TO
accept It. A few days later each one
Of the four received an invitation to a
supper party at Stanton's house to
take place at II o'clock, after the the
aters were out. They found there
eleven men and ten women. Some Of
the men and some OF the women were
known to be authors, some ambitious
TO be authors and some not known al
all as aspirants for literary honors
They were as different from one an.
other as could possibly be. Some were
self conscious, some modest. and there
were some who did not seem sum.
ciently gifted in ideas for ordinary
use, let alone writing a book. There
were two men with a sensual look
about them, one woman who appeared
a trihe loud and girl OF nineteen who
blushed If any one spoke TO her.
During the supper-the order OF
choice had been decided before It be.
gan-each Of the four members Of the
pool selected i've OF the guests. The
loud woman and one OF the sensual
men were taken up In the first choice.
The other sensual man and a member
OF the Woman's Press club were in the
next lot. The man having third choice
picked all the rest who looked as If by
any possibility they could write a
book. The fourth man was obliged to
take what was left, none Of whom
gave the slightest appearance Of being
a winner The girl who blushed, not
having been chosen, fell to Stanton.
The party was too incongruous tC
keep long together, and when 1t broke
up the four pool members remained be-
hind. Stanton called on the man who
had first chosen TO name the winner
from his number. He named first the
loud woman. then four others In sue
cession, but Stanton shook his head al
every one. Second choice then made
his guesses and failed. The guessing
now came to be exciting. When third
choice failed to name the author, al
were struck with wonder. and when
fourth choice failed every man ac
cused Stanton of having gone back or
his agreement.
mot at ali, gentlemen" he said soft
ly. There still remains one person moi
named"
what! That stupid looking child moi
yet fit to be out OF the nursery who fel
to youy She doesn't count"
Every one in the party counts.
agreed that the author should be pres
ent at the supper, and I have kept my
agreement. People blame us publish
ers because we can't tell the big win
ming novels before the public pro
nounces on them. gave you gentle
men all the chances, taking the last
that none Of you wanted, and won
The author OF Fetters Unloosed' Is
Miss Susan Brock. It's my opinion she
hasn't the slightest idea Of the accept
ed meaning Of her work-just as one
may perpetrate a wltticlsm without
being conscious Of having said any
thing remarkable. The title TO hel
novel when she handed it in for exam
ination was not at all descriptive oi
the subject matter On the contrary
it indicated an innocent intention. We
fixed the title in accordance with the