Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-12-30
A
NEAT JOB
By JOHN Y. LARNED


"Mr. Birkstead." said my friend Mrs.
Iddleston, II am very much worried
about my son."
whats the troubleY' l asked.
"He is infatuated with a girl l de
test
"Have you grounds for detesting
her?'
There's nothing In her. She's vain.
selfish and altogether unlovely. How
she has captured Jimmie l can't imag-
inc
Since ! was not Interested In jim
mic the information did not especial
ly move me. But / was interested in
his mother, who was Il widow. Indeed
| had intentions with reference to Mrs
Iddleston and wished could make her
think me as fine man as this girl
had succeeded in making Jim think her
a fine woman. I wondered how she
did it.
Now. | know that you, a novelist"
continued Mrs. Iddleston, ARE one Of
the inventive kind with plenty of in
genuity and can bring about some sit
uation between Jimmie and this girl
to make her appear to him as she aD
pears to any one who sees her through
eyes not distorted by the Imagination"
"Who is she?" | asked
Julia Hinton"
How can ! know herr
Jimmie tells ME that she's going
this summer to Arlington Beach. Why
can't you go there, too. for your vaca
tion?"
81 can"
"And you will try to do something
for me?'
ION one condition-thati if l succeed
you will find some other literary man
to invent a scheme whereby | may be
made to look better In your eyes than
l am"
can vouch for the fact, though /
do not expect to be believed. that a
| widow is capsule of blushing. for ! de
tected a faint reddening as she replied.
with a bit Of blarney: You don't need
| that Every one knows how clever you
are and | am sure you will succeed in
saving my boy"
IF | succeed in showing him the
| girl exactly as she Is ] am sure you
| would not ask me to misrepresent her. y
| Certainly not"
! / had achieved some recognition on
the part of the reading public and was
known as an author at the hotel where
| | stayed, the same in which Miss Hin
| ton stayed, and my literary reputation
for good work or bad. as the case
may be-made me something of lion
While at the beach | was sending
my publisher copy every week except
the first On my return in September
| read the final plate proofs of my sto
ry. and the book was issued before
Christmas.
Soon after its publication l was in
vited to dine at Mrs. lddlestOn's. jim
was present and received me some
what coolly. We had not been ions
at table before the subject of my nov
ell was preached. Mrs. Iddleston sale
some very nice things about it. Jin
said nothing till his mother reproache6
him for being 50 impolite as not to say
something favorable to the author
about his work.
l protested That's where we au
thors have hard time" | said. 'Peo
pie say complimentary things to IL:
about our work. but we get no rea
criticism-t that which of all things WI
need most
WELL" said Jim. II have a persona
bone to pick with the author in thi
case. Several things 1 said were pu
in the story word for word"
You are right" | replied. "Edmnn.
Searle Is picture Of yourself"
saw his face light with pleasure
do you really mean that?' be asked
'Searle is splendid fellow"
why do you consider hin suchY
1 asked
Il don't know" H..
ut is beca use you see him as he is
real living person You are taken on
of yourself to look at yourself"
But there Is one thing about me Il
l the story ! don't like What an as
Searle was to fall In love with tina
silly girl
1.-THE girl was real character TOO ="
What that tning!'
what don't you like about herr"
!, "She hasn't any sense"
=. "Anything else?"
: Zone can tell by her talk that she l
vain"
+ did her conversation IN the stor
q seem flippant to your"
. II should think so
!, I'm sorry the character doesn
It please you You see. my work is d
from models. and any success nav
= attained is on that account / don
idealize my models. | paint them ]u:
as they are"
who is this stupid girl you hav
p1ctured?'
a "Do you mean TO say you don't re
= ogniZe her?"
# WAS she at the beach last sun
d mer?"
~ "Certafnlv YOu were with hor s