Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-26
THENALUEOF
EXPERIENCE
--~---f
BY JOHN x! WETHERElL
Copyright, RIO. by eApe(ican Press
Associauon,

My son." said Mr. Fairchild OF tho
great publishing house of Falrchild &,
Co.. IL think l see in you a very dan
gerous tendency"
"ln what respect father?" p,
81 fear you have literary tastes"
but, father. l thought you were
very proud of my literary success at
college,"
Proud Of it-yes. but since you are
to take my place I'm this business /
consider it a dangerous gift"
II don't believe It,"
Unfortunately old people cannot
transmit their experiences to the
young. You will have to pay TO learn
what tell you, just as YOU will have
to pay for books containing in them
selves large advertisement"
The next day MIR Falrehlld died OF
apoplcXy. and his son, who had had
six months experience I'm the business.
took his place. The young publisher
determined to test his readers" While
in college he had written novel of
university life. Calling his manager of
the department for examining manu-
scripts into his private Office, he hand
ed him package and said
Mr.. Burton. there Is manuscript
written by myself Give It to the
readers, Keeping the authorship Il Sc
cret, and when the reports are all in
LET me have them"
Mr.. Burton took the manuscript and
retired In week he laid the reports
before the head of the firm. Fairchild
read them, threw them in the waste
basket. tapped a bell and recalled Bur
ton.
Mr.. Burton" he said, I'VE must re-
organize our corps of readers. I find
it impossible 20 get an honest opinion
on my own manuscript If as head
of the firm can't do this. how can / ex-
pect to get at the merit of the manu-
scripts of others? That novel OF mine
IS Juvenile production of no value
whatever and yet not a single reader
has condemned it."
There was trouble among the read
ers, most of them receiving their dis
charge. year passed and the cir
cumstance, though not forgotten,
ceased TO be terrible remembrance.
All was running smoothly I'm the pub
fishing house of Fairchild & Co. when
one day manuscript novel was sent
In by express. ii was started through
the readers mill. but got no further
than the "weeder," whose duty it was
to eliminate all manuscripts that were
not worth serious consideration. 1t was
returned to the author. who again eX-
pressed it to the firm with n note stat
ing that the name attached TO Il was
fictitious and limiting that 1t was by an
author of reputation. This insured its
being thoroughly examined, but 1t was
again returned. Notwithstanding thr
hint. the readers assuming that the
author had used very commonplace
device TO secure attention. 4 fcw days
after the second return the chief Of
readers WAS called into Mr.. Tarchild's
o.iice. The rejected manuscript lay OF
ne desk
Mr. Button" said the head Of the
firm. that manuscript was prepared
expressly under my direction. 1t is
one of Edgar Allan Poe's longest sto.
rios. with names ana incidents sUb4ti-
tuicd so us to- purity conceal the au-
thorship and not in the least to be
tract from its literary value. You Will
pleas" discharge all your readers
have engaged an old woman who
doesn't know tho meaning Of the word
literature. she will hereafter read TN.
manuscripts Of Gct16M and we will D.,
guided by her reports My father lc-
fore he died told the that + mus, lcnru
hT eNrcriCHce. ! am learning hvt
still feel that ] have a grea, deal ~
learn"
The fri1 Of l'airchi-d & Go. cou:ia
we'd TO publish fiction with varying
success one day the head Of tie Cu
called far Mr.. Burton and said TO him
This meuuseript novel was left hero
boy Agnes Darlington. whose 'Dr. .r.
cd VIC $50 published last season a.I
whi.l has had. as YOU know. yclv
large sale. 10 was not th. best seller
~ tle season. but came Very near ID.
lns such This manuscript is lg Miss
DHr.iug'Du's grandmother. who has
been bcdriddcn Tor twenty years
inHc looked 20 orcr and found ID worth.
loss But wr rauuDt afford 10 offend
Mis- Darlington, who is.to give us 40.
other novel fri fow months and
which the riymurs arc calnayOrIra 'r
get away from u.s. This hing Is I.t.
OF Ease must be published 10 prgyOu
thr CFmcr- getting ahead OF us We
viii lose sOmcthir- ON &c. but uasc 70
argr SUM orr Miss Daruuons ness
story.