Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-10
TheEvcning Story
The Mysterious
Stories
By EVERETT J. MARKLE

thO ACNEocAlJ Va uhQAuB bOulGLuluk 10
occupy and divert my mind during my
leisure hours. | began writing stories.
After amusing myself at this work for
awhile ! constructed a story that
thought pretty good and tried it on a
magazine. To my surprise, 1t was &C
cepted. sent out more and was re-
warded with more acceptances.
When l came to be troubled with In
somnia my story writing furnished me
with occupation during hours OF wake
fulness. l have written many a story
OF part Of story between / and 4 in
the morning. boarded with a lady,
Mrs. Stoughton, and her daughter,
Kate. may admit in passing that
when a man boards with a lady who
has a daughter especially II that
daughter is attractive, be is likely to
put matrimonial rope around his
neck. AT any rate, an affair was
brewing between Kate Stoughton and
myself. She used to twit me for sit
ting up in the middle Of the night
scribbling. for didn't admit that
was troubled with insomnia. But Kate
was always Joking me, and anything
she said was acceptable
One evening ] went up to my room
carrying magazine with me to read
during my evening awake. Turning
over the leaves, came to story 10y
some one who had the same name as
myself. read the story. and It seem
ed to me as II might have dreamed
It myself. But our mental faculties
are very subtle, and It occurred TO me
that my seeming connection with it
might have come from an infinitesimal-
ly small period of suspended ANNA
ton. at the awakening from which
fancied ! had seen the story before.
But this did not explain my name
being used as the author OF the stories
was puzzled over this. especially be-
! cause | WINS not familiar with any
magazine writer of my name-Truce
1t is not an uncommon one, and doubt
less there were other scribhlers bear.
ing 1t, but knew none such, especially
with my initials
didn't think much OF this at the
time. for my business, which had been
running so smoothly. began to give
me lot Of trouble. and | was finally
on the verge Of closing 1t out | was
hanging by my fingers. so to speak.
when ] saw another story with my
name TO 1t. and. strange to say, there
was the same faint dreamy kn0wl-
edge Of it that had pertained TO the
former one. The fellows stories evil
daDtIv DlaaSad naOoztna rood,rs for
they began to appear quite often.
read every one came across, and my
establishment grew with each. for
there was none but reminded me OF
something had heard or read or
dreamed.
Then 1t occurred 10 me to 20 to
some OF the magazine offices and lind
out who the writer was. went first
to an editor | knew best
"HellOr he said. You're just the
man I want to see. ] sent a check to
you the other day for one Of your
stories. and the letter inclUsing 1t cume
back unopened Have you taken to
scribblng for no pay?"
Il haven't sent you story FOR
months"
Not THE Moonshinerr
mo" This was one OF the Other
fellows / had read.
The editor looked at me. puzzled
Then | told him what had happened
he had supposed the stories with my
name attached to them came from nv
and he had no explanation OF the mys
terry to offer. He handed ME u IA
check. but l declined 1t and went II
see other editors in whose magazine,
the other scribbler's stories had al
peared. They had all supposed tina
| was the author OF the manuscript
sent In. and all had credited me witt
the amount due-in all more than
thousand dollars.
Now. | had got through my busines.
troubles, all but a thousand dollar not,
coming due in a few days. All hau
to do was to accept checks in payment
for my stories and would be ''Out OF
the woods" But l had not written
the stories and had no right to take
pay for them. Besides, II did so and
the real author turned up | would be
liable to prosecution for swindling.
was in a condition of mind where
a man needs to contide in some ono.
That evening | saw Kate Stoughton
and told her the whole story, including
the fact that the use OF a thousand
dollars would save my business.
Then go to morrow" she said. "and
draw the money from the magazines.
One morning mother found manu-
script in n drawer OF your desk; then
another and another at intervals. One
night she saw you writing and spoke
to you. You didn't answer. You were
writing in your sleep or some similar
condition. read the stories. and 1t
occurred to me that 1t would be a good
joke to send them out to magazines.
I did 80. and they were all accepted.
In some instances letters came for you
from the magazines. Some opened
and found checks inclosed. resealed