The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-07-04
How IheirStory
Ended
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

! roses were in full bloom; consequently
! you must know that it was June.
81 wish you would tell me how you
! write these stories." she remarked. Il
can't understand how you take per-
sons, make them talk and do things
just as if they were real"
Anybody who tries can do it," he
replied.
Il couldn't write line"
Suppose you try. I'll help you.
Take for your characters persons you
know"
"WhO for instance?"
"Well, there's Ferguson"
"And you"
81 don't think you can make any
thing interesting of me, but you are
welcome to use me- That's two men.
Now you need either one or two girls.
Since this Is your first story, perhaps
you had better confine yourself to a
few characters. One girl will do. She
shall be the heroine"
"Is it to be love story?'
"Well yes: kind of love story"
"What girl Of my acquaintance shall
I take for the heroine?"
yourself You'll do very we'll"
"Oh, dear; I'm afraid I shall not be-
have myself heroically."
1.-THE heroine of story Is not al
ways heroic. The words hero and
heroine were used for the leading
male and female characters in stories
when it was the fashion to make them
possess every human heroic trait.
,, Then as counterpart there was al
ways a villain-man or woman-whose
| evil acts noble persons were obliged
to counterfeit Our story will be
plain, uneventful love tale"
"Who is the heroine, as you call her.
in love with?'
"Your question brings us to an ele-
ment that is always of assistance IN
holding the interest of story-curiosi-
ty. 1t may be well in this case to con-
ceal her feelings from the reader for a
time"
"She has only two men to choose
from, you and Mr.. Ferguson"
''There may be another who will en-
ter at the climax-some one not men
toned till then-who will be a SUR
prise"
SIS he to be a surprise to you and
Mr.. Ferguson"
Hell be surprise to me, for the
indications are in favor of Ferguson"
"What do you mean by that?"
at is difficult of explanation. but
will try. When an author sets out to
tell a story it is like one moving to
ward an object so distant that he CAM
make it out. 1t may turn out to be
house or a windmill orr
Gan elephant"
"Just so. Now, the story in the au
thor's mind is like that object. He
may suppose it to be windmill, and
as he nears it, despite his preconceived
notion, It may turn out to be-
can elephant"
II see you understand my demonstra,
ton perfectly"
partly. Do you refer to an ordi-
nary elephant or white oneT
"Why do you ask that?"
81 was thinking that If the heroine
took either of the characters she might
GET
Something she didn't want?'
There was no reply to this. He did
not seem pleased with the way the
story was getting on. In fact, he look
ed very glum. She plucked rose that
leaned toward her from ats lovely
companions" and handed It to him
Quite likely this was to encourage hin
to go on with the construction Of the
story. 1t brought about the change ir
him she desired.
"If you're going to introduce third
man to come in and take the heroine
at the end of the story l suppose wed
better settle on who he is to be-"
"What need Of thatT she asked.
"Well. you see, in story making you
must suggest family what you're go
|
story, but you don't need to give away
the fact that he's to win the heroine In
the end"
"But If we name some one wei
know that he's a dark horse. and II
will spoil the story for u.s."
at wouldn't spoil 1t for me-"
Gin other words, you take no interest
in whom the heroine marries."
There was slight tinge of reproacf
in her tone as she said this.
mot at ALL" he fastened to reply
when l read other persons stories
not my own, I always look at the enc
to see how 1t all turns out"
"But this is your story, isn't it?'
"And yours?"
1.-THE lady, believe, has the privilege
Of hearing the mans part Of the story
before she tells her part
mot when they are collaborating
They must work together They would
never get story made in the world ir