The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-15
The ePraCtiCaI and theIdeal

Clntion.l
Leland Wilton was born to ltera-
ture. but unfortunately after the school
he was fitted for had had its day. His
friend Forbes Hogden, a practical fell
low, unincumbered with the slightest
ldeality, used to poke fun at him for
writing poems and stories that no pub
Usher would accept.
"Why don't you get down TO what
people want to read?7 said Hogden
II can't write what isn't In. me-" re-
piled Wilton despondcntly. "To por-
tray natural emotions authors must
experience them II seems TO me the
most popular writer's Of the present
day imagine things. then turn a lurld
light on them and photograph the
whole. I have written one work every
word of which felt. for am In love
with my heroine-not imaginatively,
but really. | would like to see It pub
llshcd."
"You never will, because there would
he no money I'm IL for n publisher.
Still, If you care TO let me have it I'll
turn It in at Sharp, Bliss & Co.'S ana
praise 1t all can. But It won't do
any good"
The next day Hogdcn, who really
had a good opinion Of his friends ahil-
ltles, received the manuscript and
tossed Il into n drawer. intending to
read It before submitting 1t to the pub
years. Meanwhile Wilton, who with
out any income could not marry his
heroile, drifted away to unknown
lands. Then a report came that he
was dead
One day Hogden came across the
manuscript his friend had left with
him Ave years before. Hogden was
writing stories IN the current vein.
from which by writing great many
Of them he made a passable living
He read the manuscript and saw a
great deal in It. Since there was no
living owner he concluded to appropri-
ate It to himself. He used the motif
and the feeling, cut out the ideallty,
threw lot Of Greek fire into II and
published It under his own name as n
novel Of the period.
The book proved a phenomenal sue
cess. HOgden made lot of money out
of IL and, having established his liter
airy name, wrote other books with all
the Greek fire. but with none OF the
feeling of the one he had apprOpri-
ated. They were even more successful
competency, II occurred to him 20
marry and make home for himself.
Now, II happened that Wilton had
introduced him to the heroine of his
novel and the lady OF his love. Hog
den went 90 see her. talked a great
deal about his old friend Wilton, his
lmpractlcability his incompetency and
his ideality, all Of which he classed in
the same category. He told her what
he had done with Whiton's work and
ended by saying:
"All this money ! have made has
been coined out of Whlton's emotions,
of which you were the exciting cause.
| think you are entitled to share In
the proceeds. You can have half and
all at my death If you survive me by
marrying me-"
The lady was of practical turn Of
mind, without fortune and withal get
ting older every day. She accepted
the offer They were married and set.
tied down into the humdrum of life.
One evening they were sitting before
fire. The children were asleep. The
husband was doing over paper. The
wife was darning stockings. There
was a ring at the doorbell, and pres
emily a mau walked in past the maid
who had admitted him.
"AIr and Mrs, Hogden, / believe"
he said.
"You have the advantage of u.s."
said Hogden.
The stranger stood looking from the
baldheaded, gray bearded husband to
the fat elderly wife.
II am Leland Wilton"
"You don't say so.' exclaimed Hog
den, turning red and white by turns
Now, Similar scene to this had been
drawn In Whiton's novel that Hogden
had appropriated. Wilton had han
died 1t ideally; Hogden had trans
formed It into tragedy. The trans
former wondered which of the two
would happen now. Wilton adopted
neither.
~ have come back he said ito find
the woman loved married to the
man the foundation to whose success
was the work Of my brain"
II there was anything dramatic in
the words there was nothing dramatic
in the way they were spoken. Hog
den was not especially conscientious
or sensitive. He did not cringe. He
simply awaited Developments
individually you have the advan-
tage OF me-" Wilton went on but l
belong to class that has the advan-
tage OF you--that class whose repre-