Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-04-20
HOW THE STORY
WAS FINISHED
The Office Hack Gets a Start
In Literature.

'AiNt
proprietor, Edward Farnham, capital
list and %litterateur; two readers and a
young man named Arthur Otis, who
did odd jobs in the making up" that
were not considered of sufficient i'm
p%ortance to take up the time of the
others.
One day Mr.. Farnham laid a manu-
script novel on Otis desk and said:
There's a novel by Donald Fox. |
want you to go over it and get it
ready for the printer" Mr.. Farnham
usually gave his orders, to Otis espe-
cially, without comment. but today he
was very much pleased and added:
I'VE must begin that in May. I've
been keeping a place for it. Anything
by Fox will increase the circulation so
per cent. 1t ought to. 1t cost 10 cents
a word for the serial right alone. This
is the best thing, in my judgment. he's
ever done; a new departure; not a bit
in his usual STYLE"
Otis never made a reply to anything
the head of the concern said. He took
the manuscript and began to work
upon it Immediately. The next day he
took it to his chief and pointed out
what he considered a defect. suggest
ing that it be referred back to the au-
thor to be changed. Mr.. Farnham
scowled. examined the pages referred
to and told Otis that he was not en-
ployed to tell eminent writer's how to
write novels.
When Otis had concluded his work
he laid the manuscript on Mr. Farm
hams desk and remarked:
II see. sir. that the work is not fin
ished."
MI. Fox has promised to have it all
in by the required time"
"But. sir" said the clerk. as a shade
Of anxiety passed over his face. don't
you fear that if anything should hap
pen to Mr.. Fox
"Well?" said the manager in icy
tone.
Gould any m else finish it,"
mo. but I'm going to take the risk"
In due time the story appeared, and
it's reception was far beyond what the
manager had looked for. The criti-
cisms We're fine, all critics noting the
new departure of the author.
One day when the story had been
running six months Otis noticed a gen.
tleman whom he was told was the
| celebrated Donald Fox talking with
the manager. After the visitor had
gone Mr.. Earnham brought a package
to Otis desk.
"The closing chapters of Fox's great
novel; he said.
The next morning Otis stood by his
chiefs desk waiting permission to
speak.
"yNell?" said the manager, looking
up.
Have you read these chapters of
Mr.. FoX's novel; asked the under
%strapper.
mo"
"They are entirely unlike the rest,
The public will not believe Mr.. Fox
wrote them. They gre very abrupt"
1t was on the chiefs tongue to tell
his subordinate to attend to his own
business, but the last words changed
the impulse. Since the author was tC
be paid 10 cents a word for the work
it would not be to his interest to close
it abruptly.
Leave it," said the chief.
For the next few days Otis sat al
his desk surrounded by a cyclone
From what he overheard he judged
that Fox had confessed that he haC
hired a literary man who had done
some good work to write the story a
5 cents a word. The author had beer
taken i'll and died when the work wa:
about two-thirds finished. Fox hat
hurriedly written the last chapters
himself.
AS soon as he gathered this infOrma
ton Otis walked humbly to the chief
desk.
"Would you like, sir, Mr.. Fox's move
continued in the same vein as the ear
lier chapters?"
"Like it? We're in the bigges
hole
He stopped short. He remembered
that Otis had warned him of this yer.
possibility.
"Was there any understanding witt
Mr.. Fox as to the length Of the sto
ry?' asked Otis.
Farnham looked at the young ma
with amazement. None Of his en-
ployees had eve dared ask him abou
the terms of his contracts before.
"Do you know your buSineSs?"
eyes, sir. But
; "Well, do it. and let other people
l business alone"
. give understood that Mr.. Fox wa
to get 10 cents q word and that b
, sublet the work for 5 cents a wore
l but l don't know how long the stor
was to be-"
) "Well, sir. why should you know?:'
"Because-the fact is. Mr.. Farnhan
2