The Southern herald., 1911-04-21
HER LOST
POEM

I had no romance N her lie ana - AAr
as her closest friends knew she didn't
want one. There were no weak spots
in her character She wrote poems
and sent them away to publishers. but
as they were always rejected that
didn't weaken her case.
One particular poem-composed on
a rainy, dreary day. when all nature
wept and sobbed and old maids could
sit in the house with their hair down
and be sure there would be no call
ers-was a poem on love. It wasn't
such a poem as is usually written,
telling Of the joyousness Of the senti-
ment and the delights Of rambles with
Cupid. but it was a satire-a damp,
chilly malarial satire. 1t was meant
TO reduce the market price of love by
80 per cent 1t was meant to warn
the young man Of twenty and scare
the old man OF seventy. It took up
the sentiment Of love in sixteen
verses and showed beyond eavil that
there was a heap more money in
raising squads or running a boarding
house. So far as Miss Abigail went
/ that poem was a success. She envel-
oped, put in return postage and
mailed it to a magazine.
Two weeks. No answer. Four
weeks. No answer. Then Miss Abb
gail Baxter sat down as she had done
on several previous occasions and be-
rated the magazine man. If he hadn't
read that poem and made up his mind
to accept or reject by this time then
he was no hustler, He had no right
to keep people waiting. He needn't
think he was tin god because he
was a magazine man.
The letter was a satire as well as
the poem. The editor answered back
that he had rejected the poem after
reading the first verse on the day Of
Its arrival and had at once remailed
1t. He could ,also write satire.
Miss Abigail Baxter was aroused.
She was determined to have It back
at any cost Of blood and treasure.
She wrote to that editor again as only
a strong woman thirty-fve years old
can write. If he had remailed the
poem 1t would have reached her.
II that poem, which hadn't one
single fault, and the man who said II
had was not respecter Of truth, was
not in her hands at the end of two
weeks suit for damages would be be-
gun. She was no worm of the dust
to be walked on, and so that editor
would discover.
lie replied that the suit would have }.
TO come, but warned her that she
would surely be beaten. The red
headed office boy clearly remembered
taxing that rejected poem to the post
once on certain day and hour.
Miss Abigails answer to this was
brief. She simply took her pen in
hand to say that she would at once
put the case in the hands of n law.
yer who could not be bluffed nor
Drlbed and instruct him to carry II
clear to the Supreme court at Wash.
lngton, If necessary. The worm had
been patient The worm had suffered
Ihe worm had asked only for Justice
NOW the worm had turned. and II
certain man ended his days behind
tne cold iron bars she must he be,d
olameless-that is, the worm must
Few poets in this world can blur
magazine editor. They are engaged
because they are good at bnfing
other folks. Mr. Nicholson tho Cd,
tor in this case, had turned down M.
ets Dy the score and never got
KNOCKOUT In return. In this case how.
ever, he became alarmed. His crr,.
osity was also aroused. He was ~
ola bachelor of thirty-eight and some
thlng seemed to tell him that this was
the crucial point in his life He wos
served with legal summons 70 49,
pear IN court and he put on his bat
ana went down to Roseland to .oo
MISS Baxter He expected asneritv
acldlty, aggression and lots Of otbo,
thlngs, but at the same time bono5
against it. '' "opeu
AS soon as Miss Baxter leorrod
who her caller was she exnectod u
mails, assertions, protestations aue u
ance and other things belongino a.
the profession of magazine odit,nn
Dut wished it might not be so
i ain sorry that this no,
ABOUT began the editor in paciao
tones. pdclnc
And so am l."
1 must beg your pardon %.
way | wrote you" ior the
And said more than 7 sbo,,,s,
anger drove me to criticise vo,.
poem. did it an Injustice yUur T
trouble with it was that If Inc
lengthy" " was too
t." "heh l sent
Miss Baxter, believe you o.n
write poem on love as it is u',, 1an
,ou would. | should be glad to miSn mi'a
ish 1t. Make it the most boIv pup,
blessed sentiment of the I,, ana
leart." human
Il will try"
That law suit never came -,
'oem was written and publisbns W.
Nicholson also frequently founa mr.
way down to Roseland. poonas MS