The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-01-09

been making hay While the sun WASH
shining. Ha. ha. While you have
been lost in Brazil we have been reap
Ing a big profit for you out Of your
'Aeronaut.'
That's very good joke" replied
the author. but | don't know what
you mean by The Aeronaut'
why. the novel you sent us at the
time you were leaving. We have a
check for some $4,000 for you for
royalties"
IL sent yon no manuscript as | was
leaving. and have never heard of a
novel called The AerOnaut.'
The two Chandler brothers and the
junior partner, who were standing
about smiling benignly upon the IA
nous author, suddenly lowered the cor
ners of their mouths and looked at
each other
Nonsense. old fellow" said Chan
der senior. your modesty has al
ways stood in your way. You've writ.
ten the biggest thing of the year. !
hope you're not going to deny it,"
his denial and finally got the story
of how the manuscript came to the
firm. it's doubts about the identity
of the author and other information.
He called for q copy of the book, took
it home with him and did not pause
after beginning till he had finished it
The next day he returned to the pub
fishing house. was closeted with the
head OF the firm and said:
"Mr. Chandler. it does not reflect
much credit on your house that you
did not realize on reading this work
that l had not the ability to write it.
| haven't either the Imagination or the
ingenuity. Moreover, you should have
known that it was not written by a
man and that 1t was written by wo-
man. Some one endeavored to get 1t
through by using my initials and sue
ceeded. with result far above any
thing ! am capable Of attaining. But
what surprises me is that whoever
the impostor may be she has not at
tempted to reap the pecuniary reward
arising through her imposture.'
Wait" replied Mr.. Chandler THAT
will come in time"
After a prolonged interview Mr..
Hayes departed, having obtained a
promise that If the impostor were dis
covered he should be notified before
any action in the premises was taken.
A month later the author received a
telephone message that If he would
call at the office of Chandler Bros. he
would hear something Of the impos-
ture that had been practiced on him
and on the firm. On arrival Mr..
Chandler said to him:
"A lady named Helen Herbert some
time ago published through us little
book Of poems. on which we lost some
money. Since then we have heard
nothing from her till this morning.
when we received this note"
He handed the note to Mr.. Hayes.
who read:
Messrs Chandler Bros:
Dear Sirs-On my departure for Africa
about year ago, where 1 have been with
a view to investigating whether the pyg-
mics there are the same as mentioned by
the historian Herodotus. | sent you the
manuscript OF a novel called THE Aero
naut," hoping that you might use 1t dur
ing my absence. On a railway train 1 pur-
chased copy of the book published with
your imprint. Why did you put my ini-
tails on the title page instead OF giving
my full name? j hear the story has been
very generally read, and If you have any
thing in the way Of royalties to my credit
l should be obliged II you would send me
I'LL.
HELEN HERBERT
MIR. Hayes looked up at Mr. Chandler
and met that gentleman's eyes fixed
on him with singular expression.
"This beats any theme ever work
ed up" remarked the author.
ITS the old story Of truth being
stranger than fiction"
And we stupids could only interpret
the mystery as an imposture,"
mo imposture ut all. nothing but n
commonplace occurrence"
"If you are about to send the lady a
check beg you to make me your mes
senger"
Certainly"
Mr.. Chandler tapped bell and called
Herberts account. 1t amounted to more
than $4,000. Mr.. Hayes took 1t and
later called at the address the author
ess had given. When she appeared
Mr.. Hayes found her to be about TWEEN
ty-six years old. comely and with an
intellectual head.
Il have check for you for royal
ties on your 'Aeronaut,' he said.
handing IL to her. from Chandler
Bros. They published 1t at your re-
quest. signed H. H. thinking ! had
written It. Had your name instead Of
| my initials been attached to it, it would
not have been published and might not
have got the start required to make it
| a success"
THAT being the case" said the lady.
this money belongs to you. will
make it payable to your order"
1T does not belong to me. for
could not have written the story. 1t
| is beyond my capabilities"
| But if the story was accepted on ac-
| count Of my initials being mistaken for
| yours and got its start from the same
cause | hve been banking on your
capital"
And doubtless have received much