The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-28
THE EVENING STORY
How Two Wrongs Made a Right.

/
| Vernon's room that morning had her
hands full. in the most literal sense.
| There were several of the long, bulky
| envelopes whose appearance brings
| detection 20 the heart of the aspiring
writer. There were one or two of the
envelopes which keep such detection
| from becoming chronic. also bearing
| the name of a periodical, but too thin
| to contain anything in the shape of
a returned manuscript. 1t was even
possible that they conveyed checks.
| But Vernon brushed these all aside,
and even let the letters from home lie
| unnottced in favor of square envel-
| ope directed in a small, neat hand to
Mr.. Vernon Hamilton Field. This the
| girl regarded with an amused smile,
| and opened first of all.
| Mr.. Vernon Hamilton Field:
| Dear Sir-Your admirable story
'Chums has been sent me for illus
tration. 1 read so many colorless and
f1avorless tales for boys that it is a
relief to come across one bearing in
! dications that its author has not for
| gotten his own youth. The vigor and
vivacity of 'Chums' is positive inspir-
| alton to busy illustrator, who too Of
| ten is forced into mechanical work by
| the very insipidity of the stuff submit
ted.
AS am about to begin the illustra-
| tions for the story, 1 should like to
ask your idea as to the age of the girls
| introduced into the picnic episode.
should be sorry to have my work dis
| appointing in any way to the author
who has given me such pleasure.
Very sincerely yours,
LESLIE NJ. eskimo"
The long envelopes and the letter
| from home lay in a neglected heap
| while Vernon perused this communi-
| cation for the second time. Her eyes
| were dreamy, and one or two unex-
pected dfmples had made their ap-
pearance. Its the incest compliment
| I ever goti" she cried. ITO think that
I can write a boys story in such a
realistic way as to make an experience
| ed reader believe that L was once a
boy myself. Leslie Eskimo, you're a
dear girl. I could love you for your
blunder."
It was not till she went to her desk
to answer the query contained in her
complimentary letter that a sudden
miscellaneous idea took possession of
her. She sat with her fountain pen
poised in air, while she considered.
| What is the use of going into explain
| ations? I'll see If I can disguise my
| identity as we'll in my note as I did in
my story She drew down the cor
| ners of her mouth in conformity to
her ideas of masculine dignity, and be-
! gan her reply, MY dear Miss Eskine.'
| 1t was a clever letter, the youthful
author decided, as she read it over
I before enclosing II IN 1CS envelope.
| All traces Of fefnininity has been care
| fully suppressed. She had cultivated
a rather bluff cordially. and had in
| troduced one or two slang phrases
with telling effect. She laughed out
right as she sealed the letter.
| The next day a broad shouldered
young fellow sitting before an easel, In
a snug studio whose fittings were far
from suggesting artistic poverty, stared
with amazement at an envelope adj
i -1Is T-Irs
His amazement was, however, temper
| ed with evident chagrin. Miss Leslie"
! he repeated contemptuously. Now 1
| wonder what gave the fellow that i'm
preston. Well, let's see what he says"
| For altogether different reasons from
those which had moved the author of
the letter to decentralization, Mr..
Leslie Eskimo approved it.
Hes the right sort, plain enough"
was his verdict. That letters
''he wouldn't have taken quite so much
pains If he hadn't supposed he was
writing to a girl. Well, there's no
harm in keeping him in the dark
| little"
It was rather surprising how many
reasons these two young people found
for exchanging letters. Mr.. Leslie Es-
kline lost no opportunity of conveying
to Vernon his appreciation of her work
and when Vernon came across some Of
magazines, she could do no less than
write, expressing her admiration, which
was sincere. Il think your experiences
| must have been unlike those of the
| average woman" Vernon wrote. There
Is such vigor and breadth in your
drawings. One would almost call it
| virility.'
On one occasion the truth nearly
came out. For Eskimo, reading one Of
| Vernon's stories in a woman's maya
z;p
mary complimentary attitude as to find
fault with it. "Of course, it's well writ
ten" he explained. You're so extra
ordinarily versatile that even when you
depart from your legitimate line. you're
equal to the occasion. What I object
to is the decision the heroine reaches
in the concluding paragraph. No wo-
man. much less the woman you have
pictured, would take this course. It's
| entirely unnatural"
Vernon was frankly angry. She lay
awake several hours that night COM
| posing a reply which would crush Miss
Leslie Eskimo to the dust She would
| begin by saying that she considered
herself as well qualified as anybody to
Judge what course woman would
take under given circumstances. and
after launching this thunder bolt, she
would reveal the fact that she was
Miss Field.
BY morning her mood had changed.
The whole thing had become a joke.
She replied with very humble letter,
saying that undoubtedly Miss Esk-
ines criticism was just. II will be
very glad wrote Vernon, giggnng
ecstaticaHy, as she penned the words.
10 profit by your more intimate know
| ledge of the workings of the feminine
! mind And a certain broad-shouldered
| young mar who read the letter grinned
| sheepinshly, and, addressing a suit of
| arlnor in a corner of the studio, OBJ
served confidcntially that he guessed
he had put his foot IN it. The frigid