Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-04-29
HER LOST
POEM ~

had no romance in>her life and as far
as her closest friends knew she didn't
want one There were no weak spots
IN her character. She wrote poems
and sent them away to publishers. but
as they were always rejected that
didn't weaken her case.
One particular poem-composed on
a rainy, dreary day, when all nature
wept and sobbed and old maids could
sit In the house with their hair down
and be sure there would be no call.
ers-was a poem on love. II wasn't
such a poem as is usually written,
telling of the joyousness Of the senti.
ment and the delights OF rambles with
Cupid, but IL was a satire-a damp.
chilly malarial satire. II was meant
to reduce the market price of love by
40 per cent. Il was meant to warn
the young man Of twenty and scare
the old man Of seventy. Il took up
the sentiment Of love in sixteen
verses and showed beyond cavil that
there was a heap more money In
raising squads or running a boarding
house. So far as Miss Abigail went
that poem was a success. She envel-
oped, put in return postage and
mailed It to a magazine.
Two weeks. No answer. Four
weeks. No answer Then Miss Abb
gail Baxter sat down as she had done
on several previous occasions and be-
rated the magazine man. II he hadn't
read that poem and made up his mind
to accept or reject by this time then
he was no hustler. He had no right
to keep people waiting. He needn't
think he was tin god because he
was a magazine man.
The letter was a satire as we'll as
the poem. The editor answered back
that he had rejected the poem after
reading the first verse on the day of
its arrival and had at once remailed
It. He could also write satire.
Miss Abigail Baxter was aroused.
She was determined to have 1t back
at any cost of blood and treasure
She wrote to that editor again as only
a strong woman thirty-five years old
can write. If he had remailed the
poem 1t would have reached her
II that poem, which hadn't one
single fault, and the man who said IL
had was not respecter of truth, was
not in her hands at the end of two
weeks suit for damages would be be-
gun. She was no worm of the dust
to be walked on, and so that editor
would discover.
He replied that the suit would have
to come, but warned her that she
would surely be beaten. The red
headed ONCE boy clearly remembered
taking that rejected poem to the post.
ONCE on a certain day and hour.
Miss Abigail's answer to this was
brief. She simply took her pen In
hand to say that she would at once
put tae case In the hands OF a law.
yer WHO could not be bluffed nor
bribed and instruct him to carry II
clear to the Supreme court at Wash
ington. II necessary. The worm had
been patient. The worm had suffered.
The worm had asked only for Justice.
Now the worm had turned, and IL a
certain man ended his days behind
the cold iron bars she must be held
blameless-that is, the worm must.
Few. poets In this world can bluff
a magazine editor. They are engaged
because they are good at bluffing
other folks. Mr.. Nicholson, the edi-
tor in this case, had turned down Do
cts by the score and never got a
Knockout In return. In this case, how
ever, he became alarmed. His curl.
osity was also aroused. He was an
old bachelor OF thirty-eight and some.
thing seemed to tell him that this was
the crucial point In his life. He was
served with a legal summons to ap-
pear In court and he put on his hat
and went down to Roseland to see
Miss Baxter. He expected asperity.
acidity, aggression and lots OF other
things. but at the same time boped
against It.
As soon as Miss Baxter learned
who her caller was she expected de.
malls. assertions. protestations. defi.
ance and other things belonging 10
the profession of ms3a4iRe editing
but wished IL might not 80.
Il am sorry that this has come
about" began the editor in pacific
tones.
And 30 am l."
? 81 must beg your pardon for the
way | wrote you"
And l said more than l should"
Anger drove me to criticise your
poem. l did 1t an injustice. The
trouble with It Vas that 1t was too
lengthy"
Il was afraid OF that when I sent
r."
Miss Baxter. be2O.gs ron can
wriSs a pOsn On love - In xaSh
xpa wesid. sAS~Ad b sls6Fs bSb
hn n A.hs 1t tho beat hog and
blessed sentiment q ne human
ksAFv
II wifi try"