The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1911-12-28
A SERIOUS
BLUNDER
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911
BY F. A. Mitchell

Edgar Ainsworth was editor Of the
Literary Review. One day he criticised
q novel published under the name OF
Rosamond Stamford as follows:
".Her Mistake BY Rosamond Stan.
ford Zones Bros.), Is a mistake all
through. In the 6rst place. It was a
mistake for Miss Stanford to try to
write q novel ut nil. Her hero. Milton
Truesdale. Il a prig. Her heroine, Alice
Van Zant, would do very we'll for the
leading lady of a chi!d's play. The
scenes are like London fog. the char
acters ~ stir as the fgurehead of a
sailing ship of the nineteenth century"
It 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 a 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 few
hours more suffering went to sleep.
He awoke at 10 o'clock in the morn
ing refreshed. After bath and a
breakfast he lounged. and if he saw
| newspaper lying about he took it up
and put it in the stove. He dined at
2. slept from till 6. took tea and pro
ceeded to make his usual Sunday even
| ino r.ol1 his 10 Sohno
field.
Miss Schoefield. who had been used
to his calls for several years, waiting
while her lover condemned enough
books to enable him to marry her. was
us usual watching for her lover on
Sunday evening at the parlor window
Mr.. Ainsworth was disappointed at
not seeing her ut the accustomed place.
Fearing something serious had hap
pened. he hurried into the house.
Meeting her sister in the hail, he ask.
ed anxiously:
where is Molly?'
| No answer.
"Great heavens! Is she illT"
! No answer.
do tell mer'
"Molly is we'll 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 IL she had been buried and ex-
humed.
Rose sweetheart" he exclaimed.
What has happened;"
"A good deal has happened" was
the reply.
''Tell me. I'm dying with suspense"
perhaps you will not think it a
matter OF importance. The truth has
simply been spoken"
1.-THE TRUTH!
"Yes. 1t is no fault Of yours.''
"Whose fault is itY'
mo ones. have simply made
mistake"
| "What mistaken"
I'm trying to write novel;"
| "You write novel;"
"Yes. have been engaged for more
than a year on one"
"WellY
II have been advised by one near
and dear to me-that's the worst Of
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES made a mis-
take in trying to write"
'Who told you that nonsense?"
Besides. I've discovered that the
man l took for a model for my hero
is prig."
"Who did you takeY'
zone l love-"
Good gracious! You didn't take me?''
Eyes. l did," with a sob.
s"Well. well, sweetheart. who told
you oil this? Have you been getting
some Anticipated FOOLS opinion on your
manuscript
1.-THE novel has been published"
by whom?"
"Jones Bros"
Mr.. Ainsworth began to see through
a milestone.
"Has it been criticlscdY'
Eyes. A criticism appeared this
morning"
I'm what paper?"
"The Literary Digest"
Ainsworth saw that without a coup
all was lost. II wrote al! the criticisms
in today's issue. l wrote none ON a
book by you"
"My own name wasn't on the title
page. 1t Yves ROsamond Stanford"
"What was the name Of the story ?"
"'Her Mistake"
"'Her Mistake? My gracious. Molly.
how could you have tried to write a
story Of British society without ever
having visited England"
II didn't"
"And that scene between the duke
and Lady Tatterton-it is ridiculous"
"There Is no such scene In my novel,"
II shall stand by my guns. Your hero
Auchincloss Is prig. I'll never give
in on that"
"Auchircloss? He isn't my hero. NV
hero is Roy Courtenay. I drew him