Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-02-16
IS GENIUS DEWSABLE2.
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ciatiou.f
whoever is born with superior mpr
tai powers must pas penalty Such
persons are not satisfied TO work in >
common field. They struggle for =
higher one to which admirance IS de-
MED them until their fitBess for It Is
recognized. And how many a mute
inglorious Milton has lived and died
without any such recognition while his
untalented brother has won a high pe.
sition! The same is often true of ons-
who loves madly The very intensite
of his person robs him of his cooiiiess
He frets and fumes while rival IN
moved by sentiment lays siege to The
maiden and wins her by regular ap
proaches.
When John Gregory went TO COLLEGE
he expected to lead his fellow students
as he had led his sehoolmafes and afi
erward TO lead the world as he had
led his university associates. The
only other being he loved except him
self was Bertha Avery. and be lived
her far better than himself. II was
Bertha vino was accountable for hes
lovers sell admiration. She recognized
bis superior endowments and called
his attention TO them Therefore he.
believing that through them he would
win and bold her love, came 10 set
great store by them.
John was graduated at the bend Of
bis class. Not only this, but be was
the college literary light of his time
editor of the university magazine and
winner of all the prizes given for es-
says. Indeed so marked was his sue
cess as a college scribbler that he de-
termined to enter the field of litera-
ture. He was never quite sure that
Bertha loved him-indeed. she had
never told him that she did-aad be
did not expect to make the conquest OF
her heart till he could lay a laurel
wreath at her feet
John entered his chosen field encour.
aged by all. There was no doubt that
he had very superior literary faculties.
He entered the editorial service Of a
magazine for an income. proposing to
write out of Office hours. He soon CON
cluded that to win the success he COW
eted he must furnish something in an
original vein. TO swim in the great
ocean of the commonplace did not
please him. The first important story
he wrote was satire on certain fads
of the day. He had resolved not TO
embarrass his employers by Offering
them any of his work, so he sent his
satire to another magazine 1t was re-
turned with the Endorsement that it
was too good for the class of readers
of that particular magazine.
Meanwhile as editor he was accept
Ing stories of one jefferson Spangier.
They were not to be considered as
within the realms of literature. but
they seemed to please people who bad
little or no literary taste. Spangler
was a connection of Bertha Ayery's.
and she had introduced him to John.
asking him to help one OF whose liter
airy ability she had poor opinion, but
who was very "amiable, deserving
fellow John published some of the
young mans productions partly to IA
vor Bertha and partly because they
] helped to widen the circle of the mag
azine. At least so thought the editor In
chief and owner.
While John was experimenting with
different novelties to attract the atten-
tion " the public to his work be main
tanned sort of indefinite understand
ing with Miss Avery. He would not
ask for her till be had met the coveted
success. He always had something
under way or finished which he hoped
would make the expected hit. Bertha
encouraged him to push on and he
would eventually reap the reward Of
his perseverance But. though many
of his works were recognized by 4
few as scinuIlations of genius. oily
those of which he himself had an IN
different opinion found their way iato
! print. One or two storic s.-.,...s,ti
originality were published and attract
ed some favorable comment. bur not
enough to fix the attention of tue pub
lie on the writer.
Meanwhile jefferson Spangler was
plowing in the field of mediocrity. In
time he published a novel which met
with a moderate success. John Greg
DRY. surprised read il, or all of it he
could force himself TO read. and won
dered. But what was his chagria
when the owners sc the magazine with
which he was connected Told him that
the mex. issue would contain like
ness aud notice Of the new literary
light and that they had decided 10
boom" him.
While Gregory had been trying 10
dash in upon the public by a brilliant
stroke. humble Spaneler had beer
slowly crawling up upon It, He pos,
sessed homely faculty Of portraying
the common events entering into the
lives OF ordinary people. Having
reached a point where capital conclud-
ed that 1t could make his work profta-
BILE. he had nothing more to do but
WELD his pen. Capital did the rest
Within a few years publishers were
competing for mis- next novel and Of
fering him fancy royalties for 1t.
The next chapter in John Gregory.s
life was the receipt Of letter from
the girl he adored announcing her en-
/ gagement 10 Spangier, Since john
had never made a formal pyop0sal for
/ her hand. there was no oecasias fo:
her entering into any explanation or
apology. She did say. however, that
she was not 20 marry her ideal. hut
people never did that