Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-12-20
WIEN THE HARE WON
As IN This Case, Old Proverbs
Sometimes Prove to Have
Exceptions.
BY M. plsBELL.

little Mrs. Harrison breathed pa
tieut sigh and answered, Yes. dear.
10 you think you can find market
tor YOUR stories?"
This tall, handsome. imperious
daughter had always been a problem
too deep for her to solve. Why any
one whose family was in comfortable
circumstances should persist in efforts
70 be self.supporting was utterly be-
yond her comprehension. But, also.
since 1t was Ruth who was attempt.
ing 1t of course it must be right.
"Yes, mother" continued the girl. II
really think l can write quite as in
teresting tales as the general run Of
those with which the papers and mag
azines are filled-at least l mean to
try"
Later when Ruth informed her IA
ther of the new field Of labor she in
tended to enter he simply laughed
and wished her every success in her
undertaking.
At once she set to work and her first
effort in the literary field was sent out
to all the available markets. After the
regular return of the manuscript at
larity, did not discourage her.
When over six months of unreward-
ed effort had passed Mrs. Harrison
said to her daughter:
Ruth. child. don't you think you
might succeed better with your home
made candies than you do with the
writing? You know that every one
who has ever tasted your candies al
ways longed for more and I am sure
you could get any number Of orders
for them"
Ruth smiled at her mothers sugges-
ton as to her change of occupation.
but answered.:
mo, mother. mean to keep on try
ing; have just finished a dear little
love story which am sure will be the
very thing for Up-to-Date Romance,
and l shall start it at once. have
never sent the editors anything"
At last her patience and persever-
ence were rewarded. After a short
time, instead Of the usual bulky en-.
yelope, came one of the ordinary bust
ness size with "Up-to-Date Romance"
printed on its corner and enclosing a
check for her story.
The letter contained also the en-
couraging information that If she
could send them anything equally
good they would be pleased to see it.
After this the regularity with which
Upto-Date Romance accepted and
printed everything coming from her
pen seemed remarkable. Ruth thor.
oughly enjoyed this new work and de-
voted all her spare time to the pro.
duction of some very readable stories.
Success had had a good effect both on
the writer and on her writings.
=, For nearly a year this state Of at.
fairs continued. Then, upon entering
her daughters room one afternoon.
Mrs. Harrison found Ruth dissolved in
tears.
why. Ruthie. what is the matter?"
Queried her mother.
Mother, l shall never write another
word" pnswe-ed do]eful voice. 1T
has been farce all through. Fred.
eric Mortimer owns a large interest in
Upto-Date Romance and he has made
them accept my stories just because
he thought it would please mel shall
never forgive him."
why, child, how did you find that
out? And If 1t is so, surely 1t was
kind Of Frederic to want to make you
happy. Why should you be angry
with him."
But Ruth was not be comforted.
Mrs. Harrison gazed at her daughter
in perplexity. What could one say to
such an unreasonable young person as
this?
The desire Of her heart had long
been that Ruth would wed the son of
her dearest friend, Jane Mortimer,
and settle down to life Of peace and
happiness. And now, because Fred.
eric had tried his best to do what
would give her pleasure. everything
apparently was at skies and sevens.
For four years Frederic Mortimer
had been trying to win Ruth Harri-
sons promise to become his wife, but
her reply was ever the same-that
she wanted to have her own share in
the battle Of life. not become merely
an onlooker.
Frederic Mortimer was an energetic
young man, comfortably supplied with
this worlds goods and continually
adding to his store. He admired the
untiring vigor that Ruth displayed in
her desire to be something more than
mere nonentity; but he wished
above all things that this bright par
tlcular star of womanhood might shed
Its light upon his own house.
The incident of the stories was only
half as bad as Ruth considered It. for
unless they had been worth printing
they never would have been published
in Upto-Date Romance, even with
Frederic's influence.
1t took time and patience for him to
make his peace with the offended
young woman, but before many weeks
they we're apparently on their usual
terms-all a lovers devotion on Fred
cries part, friendship on Ruth's.
Not long after Ruth's sad fall from
Pie pinnacle of fame cousin of Fred.
eric Mortimer's arrived to spend the
sumner with him. This was the cou.
sins first trip east, for he had been
born and reared on a big ranch in Cal.
tornia.
He was fair type Of the breezy
west, tall, straight, handsome, full of
lie and vigor and with happy dis.
position.
From their first meeting there SEEM
60 mutual attraction between Ruth
Harrison and CIV Atkinann MIhan