The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-28
How Two Wrongs Made
A Right
BY HARRIET LuMMIs SMITH.

envelopes whose appearance brings Detection the
heart Of the aspiring writer There were one or two
becoming chronic, also bearing the name OF peri
odical but too thin to contain anything In the shape
OF returned manuscript IT was even possible uhae
they conveyed checks.
But Vernon brushed these all aside, and even let
square envelope directed In 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,-iour admirable story Chums' has been
sent me Tor Illustration. read so many coioriess
and fav"rlcss tales boys that it is relief to
has not forgotten his own youth. The eigor and
yivaeiiy Of 'chums is positive inspiration to a
ehanical work by tho very insipidty OF the stun
submitted.
story, should like to ask your idea to the age
OF the girls introduced into the picnic episode. /
any way to the author who has given me such
pleasure Very sincerely yours. .
The long envelopes and the letter from home lay
municntion for the second tirle. Her eyes were
dreamy. and one or two unexpected dimpies mad
ever got!" she cried. To think that can write
a boys story in such realistic way as to make
an experienced reader believe that was once IA boy
myself Leslie Eskimo. you're a dear gtri ! could
love you for Your blunder."
Ii not till she went 10 her desk To answer the
query contained in her complimentary letter that a
sudden miscellaneous idea took possession OF her sne
considered What is the use Of going into expia-
nations I'll see il can disguise identity as well
III ms note as did in my story" She drew down
the corners of her mouth in conformity to her ideas
~ masculine dignity. and began her reply My dear
Miss Eskimo"
1t clever letter the youthful author decided.
as she read II before enclosing 1t in It's en-
velope. Al traces Of femninity had been carefully
suppressed She had cultivated "a rather blum cor
dialtty. and had introduced two slang phrases
with telling effect She laughed outright as she
The day a broad shouldered ycung fellow sit
ting before easel in a snug studio whose httings
We're far from suggesting artistic poverty stared with
amazement at envelope address to Miss Leslie
NJ. Eskimo" His amaxement was however. tenn
pered with evident chagrfn, Miss Leslie he re-
peated contemptuousI5 Now wonder what gave
the fellow that impression well let's what he
says"
For altogether different from those which
had moved the author of the letter TO sef-eongrau
He's the right sort. plain enough" his YER
dict That letters dandy. Maybe he added with
q grin. he wouldn't have taken quite so much
pains If he hadn't supposed he was writing To a
girl Well, there's harm In keeping him in the
dark Il little"
1t rather surprising how many these
Young people found for exchanging letters Mr. Les
lie Eskimo lost opportunity OF conveying Yer
non his appreciation of her work. and when Vernon
came across of his illustrations in of the
current magazines, she could do LEES 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 yigor and breath in your drawings One would
almost call it viriiity"
ON one occasion the truth nearly out, For
Eskimo, reading OF Nernon's stories in woman
magazine far departed from his customary
plimentary attitude az to ind fault with IL of
course. It's we'll written he explained. "iouves
80 extraordinarily versatile that when you de-
part from your legitimate line you're equal the
occasion. What object to Is the decision the hero
Inc 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 composing reply which would
crush Miss Leslie Eskimo the dust She would
begin by saying that she considered herself we'll
qualified as anybody to judge what course woman
would take under given circumstances, and after
launching this thunderboit, she would
that she Miss Field
BY morning her mood had changed The whole
thing had become joke She replied with very
humble letter saving that undoubtedly Miss Eskines
Vernon. gggling ecsatcay. she penned the words,
to profit by your more intimate knowledge OF the
workings of the feminine mind" And a certain
hroad-shondered young who read the letter
grnned sheepishly and addressing suit OF armor in
corner OF the studio, observed confdentialy that
he guessed he had put his In it. The frigid
silence preserved by the recipient of these condolences
seemed to give consent
When the anniversary of Eskne's first letter came
around and Eskimo wrote with unusual cordially in
commemoration OF the event, Vernon's sleeping con-
science woke mp There had been something in the
letter that had made her vaguely uneasy The en-
thusiasc references her correspondent had made 10
the inspiration OF the singular friendship brought
before her thoughts very distinctly the misunder-
standing under which Leslie Esisine iaborng.
She thinks I'm man. thought Vernon. conscience
stricken And it's even possible that she might fall
In love with me-"
She wrote long letter that afternoon. 1t
was frank letter, She explained as possible
the mschieycus impulse which had led her to allow
Miss Eskine to continue in her Misrepresentation and
laid emphasis the fact that she had grown TO
value the friendship Indeed. If angry with
me for continuing this childish deception" Vernon
wrote" shall be frankly miserable this point
she compelled to have her pocket
handkerchief 1t was extraordinary how plank the
future seemed without the cordial encouragement of
Leslie Eskimo. Even her criticisms preferable
to silence II was damp little wad OF a handker
chief that was restored to Vernons pocket at last
She sent the maid to the with the letter
and devoted herself to writing humorous verses
was half way through the second poem when Mary
Ann trudged up the stairs to say that gentleman
wi9hed to see her teastways,7 ire asked for MFR
Field explained Mary Ann. but since you re
the honiy individual named it's you must be
q mean"
Let the card" said Vernon, cautiously,
and held out her hand. The mine she was on
her feet. gripping Mary AIMS shoulder.
Mary Ann. did say gentleman? Isn't it
lady? stop and think. Mary Ann
Mary AIMS respectable British backbone strened,
In that miss" she replied ITS the most
hextraordnary type Of female In this 'ouse,
It's In breeche sand with a mustache.t
There long silence. ''Tett--him.t said YER
ncn at lant. guping over the pronoGn. that Will
be town~%ery ,-
When she descended the stairs Vernon Field did