The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-11-28
MONKTON'S
SCHEME
By F. a. Mitchell

'Winterhornc." said Mr.. Monkton
proprietor and manager of Monkton'S
Monthly Magazine, Il want story
written on certain lines, and you are
just the man TO do the job. Get away
from the city You can't do such work
in town. Go down To the Mascot
House, IN Florida, where you won't
have anything to I'll nix of but your
creation. Here's a check for your ex-
penses going and com as, and I'll write
my old friend Charlie Burton, the land
: lord of the hotel, to end ne the bill
for your keep"
Winterhornc was given the theme
lie was to work up and charged to find
real model for his heroine He was
much pleased at the prospect before
him and started with n light heart
On the way down he tried To lay out a
plan but he found that plans usually
came to him after he began to write,
not before. The season had not yet
opened at the southern resorts, and he
found little to distract him at the ho-
tel where he stayed He was max
lug beginning when one morning
after breakfast who should come UP
the steps from the hotel conveyance
! but Miss Febiger.
For heavens sake" exclaimed Win
terhOrne. what brought you down
! here?'
wv hat brought YOU
"Monkton sent me down TO write
story on a special plan he's taken
desperate fancy to-"
! HE sent me down on the same err
rand"
They compared notes as to the char
acter Of the work each was to do and
found they had been given different
themes and different lines Of treat
ment
II wonder" said Winterhorne, what
he sent us to the same place for?'
Il can't imagine"
Hes got some scheme on hand
something for feature to attract at
tention to the magazine. And he said
nothing about my being here?'
"No. He proposed this hotel because
he wanted to patronize the landlord.
who is an old friend Of his. He was
| very busy when came away. and
/ think he forgot about your being here
"I have it, said Winterhorne sud
denly
What"
His scheme Didn't he tell you to
find some real model for your herof'
"Yes. he did"
And he told me to find some real
/ woman for my heroine. His plan is tn
have me take you and you take me for
Il model without either knowing that
the other is doing so. He'll make an
announcement to that effect-juSt how
he'll manage it | don't knOw-then
publish the stories one Immediately
after the other
"What, Give us away"
Hell probably use the stories under
assumed names"
"AIr. MonktOn is very bright man.
Hell gain thousands in circulation
bI this scheme alone"
The scribblers found the genial
warmth more conducive to lounging
than working. If they had hit upon
the editors scheme their having done
SO foiled it. They sat together under
the exuberant tropical foliage listen
ing TO the birds sing or on the sands.
/ lulled by the music of the splashing
waves. Now and again both Of them.
! conscious of taking money for work
1 that they We're not doing. made spas
modic efforts TO get sOmdhing done.
They agreed to humor their employer
by taking each other for Il model.
The season came and went before
they brought their work to a finish.
When they returned they submitted
the manuscripts TO The editor. who took
them home with him to read. One
day when they were both in the office
he called them into his private room
together and said:
What have YOU two been doing
down there in Florida: I sent you
down for purpose. but | don't see
that anything has come of it
Indeed, Mr. Monkton." said Miss
Febiger, Eve OWNED your purpose and
did the best we could
"Divined my purpose. eh: What
! WAS it,"
Why, you had a scheme to get two
stories wherein the authors should
take each other for a model
oh. l did. did J."
Il don't see what other purpose YOU
could have had" said Whrerhorne.
do you suppose | would have tried
10 rope you in with so thin n scheme
as that? If I did 1 got nsst awfully
sold. You've made Winterhorne out to
be a prig, and he's made you talk like
an IDIOT"
Both authors flushed at this.
Il didn't send you off for tiEit pur-
pose at all. | had a different one in
view. You. Miss Febiger have been
trying to earn n living at scribbling
which you are not fitted for. and were
breaking down. You needed husband
TO support you. / concluded that Win
! terhorne would fill the hill and sent
YOU to Florida 10 make a match. I'm
! pleased with the success of my scheme
! Nintarhnrnn paPni. tn n