The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-02-25
THE TOP ROUND
@ THE LADDER.

s-s-e-s-s-s-s-s-e-s--s-sl
tOriginal.l
Camilla Deming was q country xirl
who went to the city 10 5oin In the Lit
erary scramble. Ambitious and Dos
sessing some means, she intended to
eschew the drudgery Of editorial work
aud strike ut once into authorship. But
one man In her native village was suf-
ficiently intellectual to secure her
friendship, Curtis Forster, a young
physician who had studied his profes-
sion I'm town and returned to practice
1t In the country. He was plodding
and practical. He strongly advised her
to choose role Offering greater chsAcss
Of success, that Of wife and mothsr,
with himself for the husband, and
when she refused begged her II she
were unsuccessful to consider the ODER
still open.
She had met with some success by
writing stories for the country papers
and began In her new field with others
more finished, 1t In true. but the same
simple work that had 30 pleased her
neighbors. Occasionally she would dis
pose Of one Of them to q maeaxtne,
but at the end Of year after figuring
up her net proceeds she had gained
but twentieth Of her expenditures.
She had brought with her from the
country a bit Of editorial work, which
had remained in the bottom or her
trunk. Feeling that she should make
an effort to add something to her In
come for the next year even If it were
not by her chosen creative work, she
took out this Manuscript, smoothed the
rumpled pages and looked it over. 1t
consisted Of q series Of selections from
the most affecting scenes In the works
Of Washington Irving, to each Of which
she had written a brief introduction,
admirably initiating the authors style
1t was accepted, and the book made
q hit. The authors income for the
year from this source was equal to her
expenditures. Her publisher suggest
ed the writing Of another similar book
made up of extracts from the humor
Of a noted author.
The publishers suggestion was ac-
companied by SO handsome an offer
that she accepted. The second book
|, was more popular than the first and
yrtbe proceeds derived many times lar.
rer. Then commenced a scramble
Smong publishers for the works of
: Tiamilla Deming. Success Is crafty
ba bgg in any form. and the young author
8 very mCeh delighted with hers
;y,e did not now consider her work
imply editorial. At any rate she saw
In II. an opening for her own creations
a She had long had on hand q novel
Y which from time to time she had sub
Y Ied to publishers, then revised and
:Ntted again. always with the Same
Unavailable" Selecting ons
eWozen publishers =ko were now
&ng her for her work, she placed
Ia iis hands. and it was published
Immediately.
About this time she received q nots
from DR.. Forster congratulating her
on her progress. She replied in q
vein Of exhilaration. giving with
charming naivete the remark of her
last publisher, "You Will soon be al
the top Of the ladder II you don't mar.
~" Forster replied, Marry and turn
the ladder upside down"
The novel was a success. Though
not as successful as the two previous
books, still It sold yell. Camilla wait.
ed before entsring upon any new work
till this fact had been established,
then went to her publisher for q con-
ference. He told her that there was
a demand for work like her previous
ones and suggested that she take up
Thackeray and extract scenes a. she
had done with Irving.
Somehow the advice fell on Camilla
like a wet blanket. She was at turn
Ing point In her career. What should
she dor She felt the need Of some one
In whom she had confidence to assist
her In seeing the problem In its true
light Packing her belongings, she took
4 train for home. Arriving there, she
sent for DR.. Forster, stated her c..e
and asked his advice. He took a CODY
OF each Of her three books and prom
tsed to see her when he had carefully
read them. In few days he called
upon her with his report, which she
well knew would be the plain, unvar-
nished truth:
The sale Of your nrst two books
was based on the genius Of another.
Publishers, in order to secure that
which they were sure Of selling, 20
nattered you that they partly con-
vinced you that your success was
largely due to your own effort. Your
novel IL pleasing, but not q work of
genirs.'
Camilla drew a long sigh-the sigh
OF one bitterly disappointed.
Camilla" the doctor went on,
what Ii this you lament-that you
are not pre-eminent in creating fnns oi.