The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-02
Misapprehensions and Plots
BY M. J. PHILLIPS.


twenty and good to look upon Not that ladies
who adopt literary twenty and good
to look upon; the contrary. frequently But her
ideal career seemed to along other lnes-like
marrying. loving her husband and raising family.
But all the worth while young men were busy at
this time. which have been the reason she had
resolved to marry And after due reflection the
resolve for literary career WAS born
Preparation fascinating Marcie decided to use
her secretary. cramped in and frail though IL
was as the basis of the career And large blotter
would be more professional looking So she secured
The blotting paper overlapped secretary. and
it necessary to 1t down MARCHES inadequate
god inkwen. and a fragile, peari-handied pen did
not sem suitable tools With which to carve out a
literary SO she calmly annexed her fathers
big stained nkwell and stub pen.
Next the question of paper. Authors she
knew, always used large sheets, It would
conventions in respect Earnest thought solved
the problem. Marion Augarde had given her oox
it had used It, The box unearthed and
the folded sheets smoothed approved size.
Preparations all completed. Maroie drew her chair
to the secretary, placed of the sheets exactly In
squat inkwel-and paused In dsmay. She knew OF
nothing to write! The tools for writing mad so en-
crossed her that she had had time for subject
matter
lips compressed. perplexed frown drawing her brows
together The stub pen linked her fingers. the seal
Hoped edge of the blotter annoyed her A literary
career was not such easy thing to achieve. after
all.
Inspiration helped She recalled adver-
tsement she had read some weeks before In one of
the MISUNDERSTANDING about plots furnished to
writer's" A brief search through the heap of
periodicals In the library revealed IT.
Mr. Richmond P. Blunt. Room 1174 Majestic build
Ing New York city undertook to supply plots for as
pirng authors who lacked facility in devisng their
his schedne p worth FOR novelette, s. and
for novel Of seventy hundred thousand words
Marcie dashed off letter 70 him. incosing her
personal check for $40. The stub made her boyish
handwriting boyish still, there noth-
ing about the signature m. r. Destrode" to reveal
the of the writer. Nevertheless. she gggled, when
II. Bnnt's letter addressed M. r.
Destrode Farmount City Tenn and beginning My
Marcie read the stiff. formal epist1e made pretty
little grimace at the grabbed signature and dismissed
the $40 plot, typewriter document Of several
1t satisfying piot-at hrst. There
heroine presumably beautiful and hero presumably
brave: villain with every potentiaty Of wtckedness
comedy character two. a picturesque father
second girl and several other people more less
That plot almost gave Marce a headache to follow
1T There we're mere twists and turns to It than to
thrilling adventures and halrbreath escapes
gested. several satisfying with such
plot Rdarce thought enthusiastically almost any one
could adopt literary career and become famous oser
AT least. that is what she thought until the last
page reached. Then her satisfaction way
disappointment and dismay. Why. the didn't
marry the heroine after ALI He married that deceit
wastes on the vllain-somewhat reformed 1t is trua
but still villain
Halter. he was To spoil good plot by such
perfectly ending! Burning with Indignation
Marce seized her stub pen and ind,ted Mr.. Blunt
a letter that would awaken mummy Not only his
skill builder of plots but his aim. instincts ana
scheme of nfe were scorchingiy imrugned.
Mr. BIunts reply. written letter head showing
drpped ice water. The plot to which Mr. Destroae
took such serious objection not conventional Of
course none OF his plot was: but 1T logical. 1t
ended most similar situations IN real life ended Mr.
Desrode had the novests professional view OF life
which was as different from real life as moonshine
from sunlight.
livelihood The architecture OF plots for intellectual
pestrode would kindly return the plot that did no.
suit him he could have his SO
planned that she possessed enough Of brains to work
considered the $40 well spent since it had taught
her something Of the callous indifference to the
Mr. Blunt need surprised II his false and
of the undesirable characters of the forthcoming
Mr. Blunt supposing was corresponding with
typewritten castigation that reduced Marcie
vengeful tears. She decided that Blunt q
life in devising plot in which women got the
worst Of it. SO for few weeks the correspondents
to frame sentences and sarcastic and at tho
Tame time as d as Blunt Msrces little teeth
holder
Marcie sitting the wide front porch when the
down river boat stopped at the Deatrode landing
stranger alishted. and as he came up the avenue
Her heart huttered forebodinsy and then chokngiy.
Does Mr., NJ. r. Destrode live here7"
"Thats--thats name" said Marcie with down.
cast eyes, "all but the mister
The man set down his bag helplessiy why" he
blurtcd out. II thought you were fresh kid"
You're Mr. Blunt, aren't YOU ! thought you were
a mean old man" Then they both blushed and
laughed, and acquaintance cemented.
/ Il Business had brought Blunt to Tennessee
though he occasionally away short trips his
principal business the next three weeks
he sitting the vine-hung veranda with Marcie
And, of course. with moonlight everything AT
night and the hooking bird singing his heart awaytn
the shrubbery. the inevitable happened,
"Marcie, 7 wrong" said Blunt one evening
humhly 1.-THE hero married the heroine, after all.
The hero always marres the heroinet"
Marce Fnuggled her head down comfortably onto
his shoulder. Ion. Rfchmond" murmured irrele-
vanity hut ferventy, I'm glad weren't a wrnkfed
old woman hater!'
The Fractional Vote.
They had election In North Carolina Ia<N
Saturday. the Cireenvie Piedmont land no
one knows who elected We that the
Charlotte Chronicle estimates mans 1874
ard another at ia PA. Wonder who other
1-2 IA? 1t takes expert mathematician to