Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-11-24
HE WON
HIS BET
D. LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS

azine. Perhaps I should explain to
those who are not familiar with edi
torial work that a reader u one who
reads manuscripts Of unknown au-
thors. A manuscript II brought In to
the editor, who sits at q mahogany
desk and listens with apparent intent
ness to long account Of the merits
Of the work submitted, smiles benign
~ on the author and As soon az he Il
gone losses the manuscript to the read
er without word.
The magazine l was with being for
women, most Of the readers were won.
en-. being one Of the women.
At one time when the editor was
Ill those who insisted ON seeing the
editor were referred to me. One Of
those who left q manuscript with me
was q man who seemed to me to be
Of such caliber that either he should
be q successful writer or should not
b writer at all But successful
writer's were not used to asking NJ to
publish their works; we asked them to
do us the honor to permit us to pub
lish them. l was certainly impressed
with Mr.. Horatio Beardsley-the name
on the title page Of his story-and
promised him that / would give his
story careful reading.
did most Of my work at homo and
took Mr.. Beardsley's story. called "A
Fool For His Palms." there to read It.
But great many manuscripts were
crowding upon US at the time, and we
were especially successful in getting
recognized literary lights In the liter
airy world to give us their works for
publication. The consequence was that
l omitted to read "a Fool For His
Pains" for some time.
One day l looked In my closet for
the manuscript, where l had left 1t,
and did not find it there. l asked my
mother what had become Of it and
learned that she had burned an accu-
mutation of pasteboard boxes recently.
The manuscript was In pasteboard
box, and it was apparent to me that
1t had gone up in smoke.
l was terror stricken. II through my
carelessness manuscript committed
to my care were destroyed and there
was no other copy in existence would
not only suffer terrible modification,
but would lose my position, on which
l was dependent for living for both
my mother and myself
When l went again to the Office Of
the magazine letter from Horatio
Beardsley was handed me. stating that
he had made arrangements for the pub
LEGATION of "A Fool For His Pains"
and asking them to return the manu-
script | said nothing at the Office
about its destruction, for l had not
sufficiently recovered from the shock
to make up my mind what to do or say
think out way by which l might save
myself from the loss of my position,
though there was no possible way Of
escaping the modification to which l
would be subjected.
What I decided upon was this:
wrote a note to Mr.. Beardsley, con-
Tossing that his manuscript had been
burned and asking him If he had an
other copy and begging him for the
present to say nothing about the mat
ter. My note brought him to see me
at my home. and it was plain that he
was much chagrined at the loss Of his
manuscript. told him l could raise
$50, which knew was more than any
author unknown to the public could
get for a story Of the same length as
the one he had submitted. He looked
up at me with curious expression
when l said this, but made no reply.
He left me, saying that he would think
over what was best to do, but In the
meanwhile need give myself no I'M
easiness concerning 1t. This was very
good Of him, and felt very grateful.
A few days later received a note
from him saying that he had decided
to rewrite the lost story. Work he did
over a second time was always better
than his first effort. If l could spare
the time to become his amanuensis for
the work he would not only excuse me
for the destruction of the original man
uscript, but If he received higher
price for the second draft than he had
been offered for the first he would
divide the excess with me.
w:s only too glad to escape with
this penalty and accepted the propo-
sition except as to any pecuniary inter-
est In what he received for his story.
gave him couple Of hours every
working day for a month, at the end
of which time the story was finished.
In the course Of another week re-
ceived a note from the author contain
ing check for $3.50, which he said
was my share Of the excess over what
he had been offered for the first draft
Of his story. And what was my con-
sternation to see In his signature the
name Of one Of the most gifted writ
ers before the public
He had made bet with a friend
that he would submit story to our
magazine under an assumed name and
nothing would come of 1t. Something
more than he expected did come Of IT.;