St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-11-24
How an Author
Achieved Success
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

Elliott Kenton was writing a Sicilian
story in his room in a tenement build
ing in which various nationalities had
their abodes. His first dwelling place
since he had begun writing was a
handsome bachelor apartment house
He had not found literature profitable
and had moved from time to time, each
move carrying him downward.
His literary aspirations had come
down with his i'll success. He had be-
gun by firing over the heads Of the
people and had ended by firing low
en- ugh to cut off some peoples toes.
This was what he was writing at the
present time:
This detective who has come among us,
who seeks for evidence to convict our
most valuable members, must be obliter-
ated. l shall rely on you and the others
to keep me advised of his movements and
inform me of the opportune moment to
strike him. Send me word at what hour
he usually goes out-Whether he is alone
or attended. Does he ever cross the park?
If l can catch him there, where the dam
ger of witnesses would be at the mini
mum. would finish him at single blow.
Kenton wrote this twice, and, select
ing the copy that he liked best. he
threw the other on the floor. Then he
went on with his story, which ended
with a certain person known only as
1.-The detective" being murdered in cold
blood while crossing the park.
1t was late in the afternoon when
Kenton finished the last chapter al l.
wrapping up his manuscript and ad-
dressing it to a publisher, went out
with it, dropped it in q receptacle for
bulky mail and proceeded to a restau
rant for dinner. In the evening. hav-
ing a deadhead ticket to a movie thea
ter. he attended a play and about II
o'clock started for his room. AS he
approached he saw a number OF men
standing before the entrance. among
whom were several policemen. On
dra wing nearer he noticed that the
front of the building in which he lived
was scattered on the pavement and the
street.
whats the matter there?" he asked
a man coming toward him from the
wrecked building.
Bomb said the man as he hur-
ried on.
Kenton paused. He knew that the
building had been filed with q mis-
cellaneOus people. including German.
French. Norwegian. Italian and other
nationalities. He did not relish the
fact that he as a roomer there might
be mixed up with this bomb throwing.
He turned to walk away, was seen by
a policeman and followed. the fact of
his turning having excited suspicion.
The policeman took him to the build
ing, where the owner. standing among
the others, recognized him.
That's the man." said the landlord.
What MANI" asked the policeman.
1.-The man that rooms where you
found the note"
A pair of handouts were clapped on
Kenton's wrists. and he was taken TO
a police station. The landlord went
along as witness. There was pre-
liminary examination, at which the
landlord swore that Kenton occupied
a room in which an discriminating pa
per was found. Then the prisoner was
put into a CELL
The next morning, when Kenton was
wondering what it all meant. a lawyer
was ushered to his cell who said that
he had been retained by certain parties
to defend him, but that the defense
would not amount to anything. The
prisoners friends relied rather upon
terrorizing any witnesses that might
testify against him. But why" asked
the attorney. were you so careless as
to leave that letter where it would be
readily found?'
what letter." asked KentOn.
THAT letter to the gang announcing
that you were ready to kill the detec-
tive
81 never wrote such q letter."
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
"For heavens sake, man." cried Ken
ton. suddenly remembering his story.
you don't mean that they have found
a scrap of my Sicilian story?''
They found a letter offering If those
to whom it was written would put the
writer on to how to get a certain de
tective you would do him."
why, that is fiction"
Fiction be hanged! You can't play
that game with the public prosecutor,
but you needn't be afraid. That letter
doesn't prove that you threw the bomb.
It's only circumstantiaL You keep
quiet. Your friends have got it all
fixed. and you can't be convicted"
You needn't consider yourself my
counsel. I'll take care of my own
case"
Every well; if you want to be sent
up for a term of years or to the chair
I t. Al, L.
thing that can save you is terrorizing
any witnesses who may be brought
against you"
With that the man of law departed,
and Kenton sent for a friend who was
also an attorney. When the latter ar
rived Kenton told him that he had got
into a fix from writing a blood and
thunder story and must be helped out.
The lawyer called on the publisher to
whom his clients manuscript had been