The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-30
A DOUBLE EVENT.
Story Of Two People Struggling
For Literary Fame.
D. AMELIA PAIN

sky, signed "1ohn Giddens,s on 10 un
prepared soil addressed to %. r. Cor
nish, Esq, Care Of the Editor" and
ran as follows:
Dear Slr--I have Just read your story.
The Cafbunole." May ! refer you to q
sketch Of mine. entitled 1.-THE Ruby
published IN Stoner's Magazine for April
lastY l am naturally much nattered al
being found worthy Of imitatlon--an inl-
tation so frank and obvious as to leave
no room for question Of chance or coincl-
dence At the same time, as hope Some
day 70 repuhish my story IN book form.
] should consider It both honest and cour-
teous on your part II you would insert
In the next number Of tho magazine an
acknowledgment that your story was
founded on mine. am, OF course, only a
beginner In the field OF literature. but I
had hoped that this need not absoive my
colleagues from ordinary fair play. FAITH
fully yours, JOHN 0IDDENS.
The answer came three days later:
Dear sir-Your letter OF the ath has
been forwarded to me. I had not read
your story. The Ruby" until this MORN
ing. had never. as II happens, heard
OF II or seen etoners Magazine for April
last. Of course l cannot prove this state
ment. ! can and do here swear 70 the
truth Of It. but am aware that II stili
rests with you to believe or disbeIieve ii
ana that disbelief is the more probable.
The resemblance between the two stories
Is extraordinary. II is most amazing
coincidence. nothing more. Faithfully
yours. Il. r. CORNISH.
John Giddens Immediately wrote
again. declaring himself perfectly sat
istied with the explanation. apologiz-
ing for his indignation and fippantly
suggesting that in future they should
revise each others proofs to avoid
further risks
Will you accept thu small volume which
4 send herewith as a peace offering2 II
Is my first attempt at a novel just pub
lished, NY excuses must be, first that Il
Is short second. that I naturally have a
feeling OF fellowship with the author OF
THE Carbunele." and third. that. with
the above notable exception. 30 genuine
- admire your work and would value
your criticism accordingly. The qualities
which enjoy most in your writing--the
extreme dsiioacy and subtietY-have led
me to guess shat your masculine title is
assumed. II I am mistaken Il win be
my first error IA Judging the sex OF
writer. and / should bo apoIogetically
yours. JOHN GIDDENs.
III Fl Cornish allowed the lapse OF a
week before returning thanks for the
book. Il waited to read It. contrary
to my general rule" was the reason
given. borne ont by most careful
criticism and most uncommon praise.
''The book has appealed to me more
strongly perhaps than any other mod
ern novel / hardly dare or care to
tell you (after what has already pass
ed between us) that the plot Is almost
identical with one which l have been
secretly nursing 10 my mind for years.
But SO it is. It gave me the oldest
sensation-as n my thoughts bad some
how escaped my brain or had been
stolen from me. l had q moment Of
senseless rage" And toward the end
OF the letter "Of course you are right
about my name and sex being ASSUME
ed, but you are the first who has un-
masked me- trust to your discre-
tfon. / am sure that safely may.
There are reasons why this should be
OF Importance to me. AS to your feel
ing Of Fellowship, how should one not
feel drawn toward an intellectual
twinl /, for my part am frankly
curious to know more Of yourself as
well as Of your work. VIII you let
me? Remember that / know nothing
Of your personal history beyond your
address and that / am no less curious
than the rest Of my SEX
Whereon John Giddens showed him
self no less datterable than the rest Of
his sex by replying with a long letter,
delicately personal. trife sentimental
in parts, but with high lights Of hui
NOR that must have appealed particu
larry to q, +. Cornish If sympathy ia
humor goes for anything And Of
course there was a counter petition for
personal information. There is al
WAYS satisfaction" he ended, "in
seeing a portrait Of any one Of whom
We have viyidly imagined May I not
see a portrait OF you-a sketch, pho
tograph- anything that can give me
the faintest clew? intend faithfully
to return 1t. II you refuse you must
or course, bear my differences"
Il haven't got one photograph Of
myself that I would show to stuffed
cat,n answered 3. e. Cornish, but to
slide inferances / must tell you that
there will be at least two portraits Of
me in next years exhibitions Il am a
victim OF paintersl, and those you
shall see and know Tell me mean
while what your imagination has
painted me. Describe me. I win de-
scribe you by way Of encouragement
You are Of medium height; trihe
salIow; short, brawn beard and, ]
think, grayish eyes; a sensitive mouth
almost femininaly so and very
white hands. You are not strong
physically, and you are thin and stoop
d little. You are emotional and a bad
sleeper. Therel Send exhaustive cor
rections and forgiveness as soon as
you like A short and whimsical Ia
ment on the "abysmal difficulties
that beset the work Of young girl
who is writing entirely in secret closed
the letter.
Ozark" John Giddens painted her
Al his reply, with straight brows and
fun lips. a strong. self reliant face and
upright figure; large and rather rest
less eyes, with a bit Of the devil in
them; age about twenty-five, but some /
times three; a little BIT too wealthy for
your own happiness as an artist, a
little bit spoiled by worldly admira-
ton. Heavens, how / shall tremble
before your next letter."