The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-09-16

F : J !. | Err J / ! ] ]! !. NCE
81 JOHN K. WETHEREll
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
81 s3..s1 w, association.


'@s my SON. said Mr.. Fairchild OF the
great publishing house. Of Fairchild 9
Co. II think see in you q very dan
gerous tendency 81 81 @.5s 4.
I'm what respect, father?''
II fear you have literary tastes. = s1:r
"But, father. l thought you were
very proud Of my literary success at
college"
Proud of it-yes. but since you are
to take my place in this business I
consider 1t a dangerous gift
II don't believe it,
Unfortunately old people cannot
transmit their experiences to the
young. You will have to pay to learn
what tell you. just as you will have
to pay for books containing in them
selves large advertisement"
The next day Mr.. Fairchild, died Of
apoplexy, and his son, who had had
six months experience In the business,
took his place. The young publisher
determined to test his readers" While
in college he had written 4 novel Of
university life. Calling his manager Of
the department for examining manu-.
scripts into his private Office. he hand
ed him package and said:
'Mr Burton, there is a manuscript
written by myself. Give it to the
readers, keeping the authorship a Sc
cret, and when the reports are all in
let me have them :.. @.,:.41
Mr.. Burton took the manuscript and
retired. In week he laid the reports
before the head of the firm. Fairchild
read them, threw them in the waste
basket, tapped bell and recalled Bur-
ton.
"Mr. Burton" he said. I'VE must re-
organize our corps of readers. find
1t impossible to- get an honest opinion
on my own manuscript. If as head
Of the firm can't do this. how can ex-
pect to get at the merit of the manu-
scripts Of others? That novel Of mine
is juvenile production of no value
whatever, and yet not a single reader
has condemned it, .s
There was trouble among the read.
ers, most Of them receiving their dis.
charge. A year passed. and the cir
cumstance, though not forgotten,
ceased to be terrible remembrance.
All was running smoothly In the pub
fishing house Of Fairchild & Co. when
one day manuscript novel was sent
In by express. 1t was started through.
the readers mill. but got no further
than the "weeder," whose duty it was
to eliminate all manuscripts that were
not worth serious consideration. TWAS
returned to: the author. who again ex-.
pressed it to the firm with q note stat
ing that the name attached to 1t was
fictitious and limiting that It was by an
author Of reputation. This insured Its
being thoroughly examined, but it was
again returned, Notwithstanding the
hint, the readers assuming that the
author had used a very. commonplace
device to secure attention. A few days
after the second return the chief Of
readers was called into Mr.. Fairchild's
Office. The rejected manuscript lay on.
the desk. ty "
'tMr. Burton" said the head Of the
nrm, that manuscript was prepared
expressly under my direction. It is
one Of Edgar Allan Poe's longest sto-
ries, with names and incidents subsh-
tuted 30 as to partly conceal tho au-
thorship and not In the least to de-
tract from its literary value. You will
please discharge all your readers. I
have engaged an old woman who
doesn't know the meaning Of the word
literature. She will hereafter read the
manuscripts Of fiction. and we will be
guided by her reports My father be-
fore he died told me that I must learn
by experience. am learning, but /
still feel that l have great deal to
learn" .s.
The. firm Of Fairchild & Go. contih-
ned to publish fiction with varying
success. 0ne day the head Of the llrm
called for Mr.. Burton and said to him:
ssThis manuscripts novel was left here
| By Agnes Darlington, whose Desert
ed Wife we published last season and
which has had, as you know, very
large sale. It was not the best seller
Of the season. but came very near be-
ing such. This manuscript Il BY Miss
Darlington's grandmother, who has
bean bedridden for twenty years. !
have looked It over and found It worth
less. But we cannot afford to offend
Miss Darlington, who IS to give rs an
other novel in few months and
which the Clymers are endeavoring to
get away from US. This thing, "a Life
Of Ease must be published to prevent