Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-25

OF mine on Hearing New York" (the scheme
to bottle the noises and sell them as q remedy for
Nostalgia and half dozen Christmas poems of
Macs. 1t was July then. but they were all written
under tho Influence of her azure glances etc, etc.
and they did have zip to them. To our mad sur
prise she sold seventy per cent of them and re-
turned with forty dollars spot cash. We raised her
salary Immediately to twelve a week and expenses
Then we got busy turning out stuff You've no idea
how 1t helps to have few things sell!
She used the common meetin room as her head
quarters. but she seldom had it to herself for
would work like mad to get a chance to read our
things to her and watch for her expression to
change.
Sh,, had only about three--patient boredom pat
ronizng amusement and rapture. We seldom drew
rapture but always hoped for it, and expected It,
The Prettiest had mind to that OF the
Average Reader as it would be possible to find.
If you boiled down the whole Mississippi Valley
into brain, that would be Clara Fosters. We
reverenced her opinions accordingly. 1t
education and Joy to have Old Subscriber always
ready to listen and give her verdict through lips
like those OF the Prettiest 1t began to dawn upon
that Art and Common Sense needed no divorce.
She said OF two things: either IL like it, or
" don't like IT." She didn't bother you with
alysis and
Our next step in cooperation was to pool our in
terests. and. abandoning lust for private fame
we sent everything wrote out under the name
of e. Mari. Fiction and poetry, humor. pathos
and essay. It all travelled to New York in the
romantic name. Before long f. Mari began to win
mild renown in the magazine field. and We didn't
dare split up the partnership for fear of sinking
bact into the ranks Of the Great Unknown. Our
best customer the Public Magazine, brisk,
illustrated paper, and E. Mari was getting
four cents a word for everything sold. But it
wasn't always easy satisfy the editor who seemed
to have more personality than most Of them. and
not even the Prettiest Girl in Railway could force
all our manuscripts down his throat. She went to
him regularly twice week, though. and We
worked like elephants to keep her provided with
Now as I've said her first attitude towards
work that of modest ignorance of art mere
expression Of interest or the reverse: Soon how
Sh" seemed to be growing up to mentally and
she delivered cold, practical suggestions with
remarkably steady aim From this she some
times got to actual ANALYSIS and critical advice
It did funny that she developing SO fast.
but what she said proved to be true when she
came to soil the work that got to rely her
moro and more. ! think. too, at about this tine
We began to- mix UP orr opinion of her Intelligence
with opinion Of her looks.
Ore day the Prettiest step further and
came out with new scheme she had ovidaI.tly been
thinking out for some DAYS I had noticed that
she hadn't eaten so much candy, and expected Il
crisis.
the same they do In factory" she said ANY
business man would know better than to do this
ht-or-nss way. You want to specialize. and each
man ought to do what he do best. Adonrarn.
here is most ingenious at rlots, but ne cant write
good live story with human Interest rplft III
IT. Mark MacComus ought TO do all that for ne's
got Just heaps Of pathos and local color and char
acteriHation and all that You',-pointng pen
Gil at me--"have the best literary style. Yol
ought to do the polishing and whaclng into sha!e
aud the architectural part, the finish and the
sparkle. We ought to talk over the story ana let
AdOniram rough IL out till he's got the Then
MIC will put in a whole lot of feeling and blHod
and poetry, and then you, Jack, will boil II Ger
and sharpen it np and rearr9nso j. and ssndpaf@r
work and of IT, that way What dyou say?'
We looked at the Prettieat in amazemcnt, then
we surrendered She had no Imagination; IT was
only COOL horse business sense. But combined with
her dimPles it convinced us completely She
elected General Manager of the Syndicate. She
insisted upon a roll-top desk, and she got it. She
bought blue pencil out of her own money. Then
proceeded to open the works strict CONNER
cial principles, keeping Office hours from 0 a. m.
till y. m, with hour off for lunch.
Things went briskly with the s. s s. after that
We of The Prettiest, and she did TO
hav" the art Of making the shine all sides
OF the house at I've curls and dimples
before. and I thought I grl-proof, but the
Prettiest had a Cupids bow mouth into the bargain
and white teeth that made her smile sheer magic.
The trouble began when Adoniram started to go
into executive session with the General Manager
three times in forenoon. Mac and didn't
like it little bit. When the two of them had
sultation and put their leads together, the heads
came little too close.
This thing of Ads coming her ought 70 he
stop2'd,' McComus said to me- after he'd stood it
as long as he could The girl has no mother to
hint not 10 see so much of him Besides he's ne
glecng his work.
You're right" said. "1ll have talk with her
about it,"
NO, think 1T will be better for me to do it,"
he said decidedly. I'm the oldest, and I'll be
more hrothorly, you know"
W. ipalli co-lprouliscd b. making ourselves
committee Of two, and the next time Adonram was
off duty. stated views to her. The Prettiest
was surprised. she greved, she was hurt by
our suspicious. She threatened to leave II didn't
like the way she acted That scared that
snoothel 1t we'll could, and by the
time that vas 0nd she had turned her smile
on again. were In no condition to give advice.
In a week McComus and racing so hard for
her favor that poor Adoniram had to interfere and
protest For some time watched each other
and made remarks but the Prettiest cool
glass and played no favorites.
But pretty soon had another complaint.
missed
her something fierce, We'd got into the habit OF
working here we could look over the top Of tho
table TO see her--for the inspiration you know
- and 1t no fun at all watching empty roll
top and vacant chair. To be sure she did sell
our stuff, but couldn't understand why she took
so much time 1t. Mac suggested that she
send the manuscripts off by mail.
Then ought to resign" she said. "A Prcttiost
Girl stands no better show by mail than anyGLe
else. and IL I'm nothing more than mere ornament
to this Office why"
We're perfectly willing to lay you for he IN
sriration you bring to u.s. said Adoniram.
oh, Inspiration wasn't in the contract" the
Prettiest answered II have to go to New York to
keep from being stared to death Besides, have
to 10 soma ahonnjnp II 7 want IN dress no mart