Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-09-15
A SERIOUS
BLUNDER
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
BY F. A. Mitchell

1t was Saturday night when Aims
worth consigned the poor authoress'
labor to oblivion, and the foreman of
the composing room was calling for
copy for the Literary Digest. The edi.
tor called boy and sent up criticisms
Of six novels, all Of which he had read
that afternoon, to fill up the column
unprovided for. Then he went home,
put hot water bag on his stomach,
another on his cheek and after a few
hours more suffering went to sleep.
He awoke at 10 o'clock in the morn.
ing refreshed. After a bath and
breakfast he lounged, and If he saw
newspaper lying about he took it up
and put 1t in the stove. He dined at
2, slept from 3 till 6, took tea and pro-
ceeded to make his usual Sunday even
ing call on his fiancee. Marion Schoe-
field.
Miss Schoeield, who had been used
to his calls for several years, waiting
while her lover condemned enough
books to enable him to marry her, was,
as usual. watching for her lover on
Sunday evening at the parlor window.
Mr.. Ainsworth was disappointed at
not seeing her at the accustomed place.
Fearing something serious had hap
pened, he hurried into the house.
Meeting her sister in the hall, he ask
ed anxiously:
where is MollyT
No answer.
"Great heavensl Is she ill?'
No answer.
"Do tell mer'
"Molly is well enough. She'll be
down presently"
Ainsworth walked the parlor floor
for half an hour, when, looking up, he
saw his love standing mute before
him. She had entered SO silently that
she had not heard him. She looked
as If she had been buried and ex.
humed.
"Rose-sweetheart!" he exclaimed
what has happenedT
"a good deal has happened" was
the reply.
"Tell me. I'm dying with suspense"
Perhaps you will not think 1t a
matter Of Importance. The truth has
simply been spoken"
"The truth"
"Yes. 1t is no fault of yours"
"Whose fault Is itT
mo ones. l have simply made
mistake"
what mistaken
''In trying to write a novel"
"You write novelr'
"Yes. have been engaged for more
than a year on one"
"WellT'
IT have been advised by one near
and dear to me-that's the worst Of
it"-tremulously-"that l made a mis-
take in trying to write"
"Who told you that nonsense?"
Besides, I've discovered that the
man l took for model for my hero
is prig."
"Who did you takeY'
Zone love-"
"Good gracious! You didn't take meY'
Eyes, l did," with a sob.
"Wel, well. sweetheart, who told
you all this? Have you been getting
some Anticipated FOOLS opinion on your
manuscript"
"The novel has been published"
"By whom?"
"Jones Bros"
Mr.. Ainsworth began to see through
milestone.
HAS it been criticisedT'
"Yes. A criticism appeared this
morning."
"In what paperS"
"The Literary Digest"
Ainsworth saw that without COUP
all was lost 81 wrote all the criticisms
in today's issue. l wrote none on @
book by you"
my own name wasn't on the title
page 1t was Rosamond Stanford"
"What was the name of the storyT
"'Her Mistake"
"'Her Mistaken My gracious, Molly
how could you have tried to write {
story of British society without evel
having visited EnglandY'
II didn't"
"And that scene between the duke
md Lady Tatterton-it is ridiculous"
There is no such scene in my novel,
IT shall stand by my guns. Your hert
Auchincloss is a prig. I'll never giv'
in on that"
"Auchincloss? He isn't my hero. Ny
hero is Roy Courtenay. I drew hin
from you"
There's no such man in His Mis-
take"
"Her Mistake"
I'm talking Of His Mistake.'"
"M.s story was Her Mistake"
IT begin to see 1t all. You are bark
ing up one tree, another. Isn't
funny that this muddle should max
n pun? We've both made a mistake
Kiss me. darling. I'll get at your bool
on Monday. But warn you that |
you've made me your hero you'v'
struck snag."
II haven't any such thing. I've go
a noble, good. true"-
He stopped the rest with kisses.
~>s~r -----'