The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-05-26
THE FORCE
OF HABIT
b. c. ROBBINS ANDREWS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. l0l1.
By c. ROBBINS ANDREWS

General Alvarez was suspected by the
president and closely watched. One
day a visitor called at the generals
headquarters.
General" said the visitor, taking q
manuscript package from his pocket,
'knowing your reputation as a man
Of literary taste, a critic Of the highest
order HN
"Cut that out,'' interrupted Alvarez.
..I was once chief reader for a pub.
fishing house."
II &c. 1 have here a book Of pc.
ems
"Poems Of any kind are not avail.
able. We have a whole Don full Of
Excuse me; the force Of habit is great.
I was thinking I vas back in the edi-
torial sanctum."
"But these poems Of mine." contin-
ued the visitor, II consider to be in
that lighter vein which is the only
kind Of poetry now popular,
"Have you tried the Mexican Popu-
lar MagazineT
General" replied the visitor impress
sively after a pause. III you have been
an editor I have been a contributor.
I'm on to that .honeyed fashion Of get
ting rid of AN author"
The general settled back in his chair
as one bracing himself to hear an
authors reason why his experience Is
more valuable than other experiences.
Those in the room went about their
various duties. The visitor met the
generals eye and winked at him. The
latter caught on
"These poems." continued the man
with the manuscript. ''were composed
during a period of deep feeling. The
spring was coming on and nature was
awakening"
"You can wake me when you get
through" yawned the general.
zone word more. fearful April,
with its clouds and thin gilded Innings,
had passed into June, and the roses
were unfolding their delicate petals"
The general closed his eyes.
~ seized my pen and yielding to the
balmy"-'.
The general snored. The visitor look
ed about him and, seeing that the
others in the room were becoming in
fected with the drowsiness that had
fallen upon their chief. laid his manu-
script on the table and silently with
drew. !. ,.,s 5s
AS soon as the door had closed be-
hind the author the general awoke.
"Has he gomez he asked with q
shudder.
Eyes. general"
Taking up the manuscript Alvarez
remarked:
He has put his address on 1t, but /
don't see any. stamps for its return.
However. here's a mem stating that he
will call tomorrow"
That night Alvarez took the manu-
script home with him.; He was not
interested in the literary form. or in
the meter Of the verse. Even the di-
vine aG1atus. if it was there. failed to
move him.. He puzzled for hours try
ing to find a key to a secret message.
At last. by skipping all but every
tenth word, lie succeeded. He was in
vited to join the revolutionists, carry
ing with him the force under his COM
mand. For so doing he was to be ap-
pointed minister Of war. :
Having read all Of the message he
could find to read, and being satisfied
that there was no more Of it, he wrote
his acceptance of the proposition and
laid down his plan Of operations by
making a dot over the words required
to make up his message. This done at
daybreak. in the morning he went to
bed. When the author came the next
day for his manuscript the general said
to him:
81 am very much obliged to you for
your kind permission to read your
beautiful poems. I have not been
struck so forcibly with the poetic fer
vor Of any manuscript in many years.
In these verses is the very soul of
poetry. But in"- .a1
"Never mind that" said the author.
II have heard it a million times before.
I know what you're coming to-"
"Oh, I forgot" replied the general.
II am not now in the position Of a
publisher; you wish simply my honest
individual literary opinion. Well. your
poems are tommyrot. There is neither
versifcation nor feeling nor thought
in them. But I'll make a suggestion,
They are 80 bad that II you "a make
them a little worse and start q few OF
them in some publication intended t.
be popular, with a curious story about
the author, I'm not SURF but you could
get agbig sum for them"
THANK you, general. for your very
practical adyice.H
The general threw the manuscript
at the author. telling him to get out
and IL he ever came again on such .
matter he would have him arrested
and his. poetic ambition cut OF by thu
garrote.
The young man caught the packag,
and, departing, made his way to thu
commander Of the insurgent army
Laying the pages on a. table, the mes
nnmn 80 HAwnunl AIvn~o~ ~nna Fn,,snh1v