The herald., 1911-06-15
LOST
POEM >,

as her closest friends knew she didn't
want one. There were no weak spots
IN her character. She wrote poems
ana 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. 1t WASH I
such a poem as is usually written,
telling Of the ioyousness of the senti-
Ilent and the delights of rambles with
Cupid, but 1t was satire-a damp.
chilly malarial satire. II was meant
to reduce the market price of love by
80 per cent. 1t was meant to warn
the young man OF twenty and scare
the old man Of seventy. 1t took up
the sentiment of love in sixteen
verses and showed beyond cavil that
there was a heap more money III
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. If 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 a tn 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
q strong woman thirty-five years old
can write. II he had remailed the
poem It would have reached her.
II that poem. which hadn't one
single fault, and the man who said II
had was not a 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 office boy clearly remembered
taking that rejected poem to the post
office on 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 the case In the hands of a law
yer who could not be bluffed no,
bribed and instruct him to carry Il
clear to the Supreme court at Wash
fngton, II necessary. The worm had
been patient. The worm had suffered
The worm had asked only for justice
Now the worm had turned, and II 6
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
q magazine editor. They are engaged
because they are good at bluffins
other folks. Mr.. Nicholson, the edi
tor in this case, had turned down DO
cts by the score and never got q
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
fthe crucial point In his life. He was
served with a legal summons to an
pear In court and he put on his ha,
and went down to Roseland to see
Miss Baxter. He expected asperity
acidity. aggression and lots of other
things, but at the same time hoped
against It,
As soon as Miss Baxter learned
who her caller was she expected de-
malls, assertions. protestations, def
ance and other things belonging to
the profession of magazine editing
but wished 1t might not be so.
Il am sorry that this has come
about" began the editor in pacific
tones.
And SO am l."
Il must beg your pardon for the
way wrote you"
And said more than should"
Anger drove me to criticise your
poem. l did 1t an injustice. The
trouble with 1t was that It was too
lengthy"
81 was afraid OF that when I sent
It."
Miss Baxter, I believe You can
write poem on love as It 10. I wish
you would. should be glad to pub.
hsh It. Make 1t the most holy and
blessed sentiment Of the human
heart"
81 will try"
That law suit never came OF, but .
poem was written and published. Mr.
Nicholson also frequently found bis
way down to Roselsnd. Poems and
love were discussed. The lost poem
didn't turn up. but It was never even
mentioned.
Within a year Miss Abigail Baxter
was Mrs. Nicholson and Independent,
nf all postofflces.