The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-04
! he FuIIness of the Heart 81

original plot Observation-Disclosures best you have
done. Construction-almost as good except for
a few weak points which might be strengthened
by few changes and touches. 1t was good story
except"
"I write English, can't II" interrupted Dave.
AZ have always told you." said the editor "that
you had style"
Then the trouble is the
Same old thing said Editor Westbrook. "You
work up to your climax like an artist And then
you turn yourself into photographer. I don't
know what form of obstinate madness possesses
you. Shack, but that is what you do with every
thing that you write No. will retract the
parison with the photographer. Now and then
photography, IN spite OF its impossible perspective.
manages to record heeting glimpse of truth. But
you spoil every denouement by those fat, drab,
obliterating strokes OF your brush that have so
often complained Of II you would rise to the
literary pinnacle Of dramatic scenes and paint
them in the high colors that art requires the post
would leave fewer bulky, self-ad dressed euye-
lopes at your door,"
"oh, hddles and footlights!' cried Dave de-
risively. you've got that old sawmill drama kink
in your brain yet When the with the black
muetache kidnaps golden-hared Bessie you are
bound to have the mother kneel and raise her
hands in the spotlight and say: May high heaven
witness that will rest neither night nor day till
the heartess villain that has stolen me child feels
the weight Of mothers vengeance!'"
Editor Westbrook conceded smile of fmper-
vious complacency.
"I think, said he "that In real life the woman
would express herself In those words or In very
similar ones
"Not IN six hundred nights run anywhere but
the stage" said Dave. hotly. I'll tell you what
she'd say in real life She'd say: What! Bessie
led away by a strange man? Good Lord, It's
one trouble after another. Get my other hat
must hurry around to the police station Why
wasn't somebody looking after her, I'd like to
know? For Gods sake, get out Of my way or I'll
never get ready. Not that hat--the brown one
with the velvet bows. Bessie must have been
crazy: she's usually shy of strangers Is that too
much powder? Lordy! How I'm upset.
That's the way she'd talk" continued DAVE
People in real life don't fly into heroics and blank
verse at emotional crises. They simply can't do
It. II they talk at all such occasions they draw
from the same vocabulary that they use every day,
and muddle up their words and ideas little more
that's all"
Shack said Editor Westbrook impressively"
did you ever pick up the manged and lifeless form
of child from under the fender OF street-car
and carry 1t in your arms and lay it down before
the distracted mother? Did you ever do that and
flowed spontaneously from her lips?"
Il never did" said Dave. Did you?"
Well no." said Editor Westbrook with a slight
frown. But we'll imagine what she would
say"
so T. said Dave
And nov the fitting time had come for Editor
Westbrook to play the oracle and silence his
opinionated contributor. II not for an m
arrived fctionist to dictate words to be uttered by
the heroes and heroines OF the Minerva Magazine
contrary to the theories of the editor thereof
MY dear Shack said he, "if know anything
OF life know that every sudden, deep and tragic
emotion In the human heart calls forth an apposte
concordant. comfortable and proportonate express
ion Of feeling. How much OF this inevitable accord
between expression and feeling should be attributed
to nature, and how much TO the influence Of art It
would be difficult to say The submely terrible
roar Of the lioness that has been deprived of her
cubs is dramatically far above her customary
whine and purr the kjngly and transcendent
nterances Of Lear above the level of his senie
Vaporngs But It is also true that all men and
women have what may be called a subconscious
dramatic that is awakened by a sufficiently
deep and powerful emotion--a sense unconsciously
acquired from literature aud the stage that prompts
them TO express those emotions in language be-
fitting their Importance and historionic value"
And, In the name OF the sacred saddle
blankets of sagittarIus where did the stage and
literature get the stunt?" asked Dave
From life," answered the editor, triumphantly
The story writer from the bench and gesti-
culated efoqueptly but dumbly. He was beggared
for words with which to formulate adequately his
dissent
On a bench by frowsy loafer opened his
red eyes and perceived that his moral support was
due dowutrodden brother.
Punch him one, Jack. be called hoarsey to
Dave Watts he come maxim a noise like penny
arcade for amongst gen'lemen that comes in the
Square to set and Think"
Editor Westbrool looked at his watch with an
affected show OF leisure
.Tell me. asked DAVE with trucIalart a--iat==