New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23
SMILES FOR THE EDITOR
Startling Compositions Sent In
by Youngsters.
SEEKING MAGAZINE FAME
Prompted by Flattery, These
Efforts Are a Relief to
Tired Readers.

"MagazineS are receiving constantly the
literary offerings Of Coddlcd omsprings
youngsters whose fathers and mothers re-
gard a school given A. mark in English
composition as an unmistakahlc token Of
slumberinE or budding or even fun bios
somed literary genius and who provide the
sending stamps so that the magazines and
reading public may benefit by the publca-
ton of little Mary's or little Wllic's first
great effort" says G. J. Nathan. In THE
Bookman." THE resultant blame, when
the effort is returned. is laid by the par
ents upon the editors shortsi shtedncss
and lack of appreciation. The editors
with pardonable perspicacity, are wont
more usually 10 lay the initial blame on
relatives and neighbors who are too free
with fattery, be that hattery sincere or in
sincere But. above everything, remember
that the purpose Of this particular paper is
nothing more profound than to suggest that.
no matter whether the magazines, editors
parents, relatives and neighbors are
wrong. the fact remains that the oontribu-
tions Of the youngsters come as sun
beams through the gray sanctum windows
and that each carries with it "A smile-gift
to some hard working reader or editor
Many lar more literary tOHNiIDuIiollS IAN
TO do as much
Exhibit No. was handed the writer by
the managing editor of one of the Illus
trated monthly publications:
My Dear Mister Editor: incothes you a
story ritten by me ana IL is called 1.-THE strike
because it describes the strike that we had in
becorse ! wood lk 20 show II to my skule
teecher who love. ! am ten ycers old and
live In Chicago. tSigneO LUCY ---.
"rhe manuscript entitled The Strike
read as follows:
IA strike is what happens when men are
starved becorse Of the meancSs Of the rich men
and many wives. sisters and loved suffer
pangs when a strike comes. Men are killed
doorng a strike and, heavens, what woe risuts
When get TO have more sympathy than
men have got their wont be any more
strikes and then as MY deer father alwys sails
bisness wont be dam bad Piece erth is
what all Of us want and pray for but their cant
be piece long as their are strikes. strike
brings sorrow to all and JOY 10 none The morl
is that TO be happy We must never go on strike.
starye tho We must on bred and the corse food
Of life. Pleese print this In your magzeen.
"In place Of the conventional slip Of re-
greet. the editor who received Lucy's CON
tribution sent the little lady the following
well hammered If misspelled note:
MY Deer Miss Lucy: We hop someday 10
print a story of yours and are sorry We cant
use this won. Tell your father we hop bsness
will be better soon.
"A boy of eleven whose home is In
Cleveland several months ago submitted
the following Arbor Day poem to one of
the all-fiction magazines. The verses bore
the title The Giant Oak Tree:
oaL with steal
Who stands on high up TO The sky
Who peers into the home Of God
And CARDS the and bulls and veal,
We love you on this Arbor Day
And pay homii to you
But for thing we mite compare
The maple tree unto you.
That thing isn't akorns
Which one can over eat,
But maple sugar. don't you sec,
For the maple trees treat.
Epic No q entitled The Fireman, ar
rived from a writing table. the locality OF
which is unknown 10 the present chronicler'
According to the Iatters informant, now
ever. the poem was the work OF twelve
year-old. TO quote from the editors tran
script:
THE soldier Is n hero and so was Dewy
Each brave man and true,
The sailer is hero and 80 was DENY
Like all the other boys In blue.
But Of all the heros, even Dewy.
None heIos half as much