The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-10-19

SUBMITTED TO TIE FATHER
editor of the Bounder He gave his
war record in full and stated that his
only daughter was writing a story to
be submitted in the contest. Thus
far, his word for it, it had proved
tremendous literary effort, fully equal
to Ouida's best, and he could guar
antee that the last half would be
greater yet. He had cried over it, and
the editor, the editors wife and the
pressmen, compositors and all others
connected with the Office would doubt
less do the same.
By and by two or three things began
to dawn on Phyllis. She found it diff
ficult to keep up the tears. The story
had gone all right to a certain point
and then stuck. She was puzzled as
to the end of it. She began to doubt
and distrust her talent and finally
ventured to say so to her father.
''Not take the prizep' the colonel ex-
claimed. "Why. girl. what has come
over you? First, you are the daugh-
ter of a colonel who served his coun-
try for thirty years; next. you are
good looking and smart; thirdly, your
story is the only one to touch the
editors heart Egad, if it doesn't I'll
go down to the city and call him
rufflanl You'll win that prize In a
canter.'
''But if l should fail after all?" she
asked
But you can't"
"And yet may. You see, you have
told most everybody. and if l don't
take the prize shall feel terribly
Inundated. / shall want to go away
for year."
'Look here, daughter" said the
colonel after a moments thought.
'T1l make you promise. If you don't
take that prize / promise to find a
husband for you within year. What
do you say to that? You are sure OF
the prize. however. and will have to
live and die an old maid"
And that evening as the colonel
smoked his cigar on the veranda with
a friend he whispered in confidence:
mot word to living soul-not
word! There'Il be thousands of stories
sent in, but Phyllis will take the cake.
Bound to, sir-bound to. She's smart,
and then she's the daughter Of an old
soldier. The first page made me hitch
around on my chair, and the second
brought tears to my eyes. 1t will be
a story to set thousands weeping"
The story was finished at last, read
and reread and then sent off. With it
went another confidential letter from
the colonel He pointed out its many
strong points to save the editor time.
md he assured him that at least forty
friends of his had pronounced 1t a
gem and wanted ten copies Of the is
sue in which it was printed. He also
referred again to his war record.
There was a month of waiting. Dur
ing this time the colonel never f.
tered. When Phyllis became despono
emf and discouraged he patted her on
the head and replied:
why, the editor must have time to
recover from his emotions after read
ing your story. Bound to win-bound
to. Thirty years in the service of my
country. and this is the first story my
daughter has written. You may re-
ceive a $500 check at any moment. If
1t had been a common story, something
to laugh at balderdash love story.
but it was pathos. you see. Egad. but
think of your old father weeping over
a storyw
One day the pathetic manuscript was
returned, and inclosed with 1t was
notice that such and such story had
won the prize. The colonel came home
with the letter In his hand.
But was afraid ii might fail" said
Phyllis as she took II and went away
to weep over 1t and wonder what
everybody would say.
The colonel staIked into the library
and sat down and wrote the editor
letter and told him that he was man
without sentiment, a numskull, bor-
der ruffian and many other things and
wound up with lament that the days
of the duello had passed away. That
relieved him somewhat.
Ten days had passed and the little
family were sitting on the veranda one
afternoon when a gentIemanly looking
man of thirty descended from an auto
and introduced himself. His card
showed that be was the editor of the
Bounder. Phyllis blushed, and her ia
Their arose TO begin an GRAFTON. 1t was
to be a scorcher. but before he had
got out a word the caller announced
that he had come down to make an
explanation. He was perfectly at ease,
and his manner was frank.
In the first place, the pathetic story