The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-08-24
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF A MANUSCRIPT.


die aged man. had done something in
literary way, and was turned over
to him by my mothers mother TO be
looked over. He took me TO his study
and sat down with me, first sharpen
Ing his pencil with which TO cut me In
pieces, for | heard him say that MY
mother knew nothing about writing
and he supposed 'the thing was full
OF rhetorical blunders." When he be-
gan to read me no wore a bored look.
but he had read but one paragraph
before his expression changed. AS he
read on he forgot who had written me,
and when he had finished he ex-
claimed:
by thunderw
Then he called my mother and her
mother into his study and asked my
mother:
Where did you learn to write Eng
lish correctly"
AT school,"
"Sehool be hanged! There's some
thing else here that you didn't learn
at all. II was born in you. Send your
story out just MS It is. II It is appre-
ciated 1t will be accepted, but l don't
believe 1t Will be- II viii come back
to you snd keep coming back"
They took me away, and the mother
said to the daughter: "Your uncle Is
sore because all his own manuscripts
come back to him. Don't you believe
him, my dear. Your story will be ac-
cepted, and you will get good price
for e."
The next day was sent to the Globe
Publishing company. | was turned
over to young fellow they called a
weeder. He looked over the manu-
scripts which came In the mornings
mail and out of the lot picked one. |
heard him mention the authors name
had heard 1t often before. The rest
Of us were put in envelopes with
printed slips with the editors name to
them, saying a few very nice things
and thanking our parents for sending
us In. Then we were put away for
awhile and when 1t was convenient
were sent back to where we came
from.
When my poor little mother saw by
the bulk Of the package that / had
been returned to her the tears started
in her eyes. Her uncle said: II told
you so. ! don't believe they read a
line OF 1t. However. know Simpson
& Co. They've turned down lot Of
my work. but perhaps they'll read this
If | make a personal request Let me
have IL tomorrow"
The next day he took me to Simpson
& Co. and had long talk about me
with the editor, who was very polite
and promised to give me his especial
attention. After my mothers uncle
had gone away the editor tossed me TO
q weary looking man sitting at desk
covered with manuscripts and said:
Read that"
1t was two weeks before the tired
~-lenlflpg man took me up in my turn,
then ran over twenty pages of me in
as many seconds and wrote on my
wrapper Declined" And so I was
sent back again to my mother. who
had hoped that her uncle's personal eff
fort would insure success. She was
nearly as much disappointed as at first.
And so continued to go from one
publishing house to another without
acceptance Finally attracted the at
tention of an intellectual looking edi-
tor, who wrote this criticism;
II we were looking for literature ]
would recommend the publication Of this
book. But as we are looking for best
sellers would decline It.
However, my mother got nothing
but the printed slip when | was re-
turned, though 1t was couched in just
as polite terms as the first.
Meanwhile publisher told my moth
er that she would better write some
thing "startling"-a trife erotic. be
said. So innocent was she that she
thought he said erratic. She went to
work and turned out my brother
Poor boy! He was deformed in frame
and intellect from birth. Mother was
very much ashamed of him and
wouldn't acknowledge him by publish
ing him under her own name, But be
was published under a nom de plume
and proved second best seller.
NV mother continued to give me al
her affection Notwithstanding the fac
that my brother made so much money
for her. She was now deluged will
requests for something from her gift
cd pen." She sent me out once more
and | was accepted at once, but sh'
refused to permit my publication un
der the name which had been append
cd to nv crazy brother. The publish
ers would not issue me unless she con
scented to this. They offered her
large sum with that name to me, bu
she was obdurate, and SO was obliged
to remain in obscurity.
Mother would write nothing more
and at last, not making any money
which she needed, she wrote the pub
Usher who had wanted me that b,
could have me to publish under he
fictitious name He wrote her in repl.
that the public had forgotten her for
mer book, that the character of al
fiction had changed and that If b
were to publish me under any nam
whatever he couldn't sell a THOUSAND
copies. He added, Your first effor
could only have been sold as by tn
author of a second best seller.
And so my only opportunity passes
without my getting out into the world
Ny uncle. who is now old and phiic
sophie, says that these best sellers
are a development like stars" on th