Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1915-07-23
HE WON
HIS BET
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

thors. A manuscript Is brought in to
the editor, who sits at mahogany
desk and listens with apparent intent
ness to a long account of the merits
of the work submitted, smiles benign
ly on the author and as soon as he Is
gone losses the manuscript to the read
er without word.
The magazine l was with being for
women, most of the readers were wom-
en-, l 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 manuscript with me
was man who seemed to me to be
Of such caliber that either he should
be successful writer or should not
be q writer at all. But successful
writers We're not used to asking us to
publish their works; we asked them to
do us the honor to permit us to pub
fish them. l was certainly impressed
with Mr.. Horatio Beardsley-the name
OH the title page Of his story-and
promised him that l would give his
SlOly Il
did most Of my work at home and
took Mr.. Beardsley's story, called "A
Fool For His Palms." there to read it.
But great many manuscripts We're
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 looked in my closet for
the manuscript, where l had left it.
and did not find it there. l asked my
mother what had become of it and
mutation Of pasteboard boxes recently.
The manuscript was in pasteboard
box, and it was apparent to me that
it had gone up in smoke.
was terror stricken. If through my
carelessneSs q manuscript committed
to my care We're destroyed and there
was no other copy in existence l 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. l said nothing at the office
about its destruction, for | had not
sufficiently recovered from the shock
to make up my mind what to do or say
in the matter. went home and tried t.
think out way by which might save
though there was no possible way OF
escaping the modification to which
, would be subjected.
What l decided upon was this:
wrote note to Mr. Beardsley, con
: Tossing that his manuscript had beer
burned and asking him if he had an
other copy and begging him for thu
present to say nothing about the mat
l ter. My note brought him to see mi
at my home. and 1t was plain that III
was much chagrined at the loss Of hi
!, manuscript. l told him | could rails
$50, which / knew was more than an,
: author unknown to the public coult
get for a story Of the same length a
the one he had submitted. He LOOKED
up at me with curious expression
;, when | said this, but made no reply
II He left me- saying that he would thin
over what was best to do, but in tn
y meanwhile l need give myself no ur
easiness concerning 1t. This was YER
u good of him, and felt very grateful.
u A few days later l received not
e from him saying that he had decide
to rewrite the lost story. Work he dl
- over second time was always bette
e than his first effort. If | could spar
e the time to become his amanuensis f(
IL the work he would not only excuse III
IL for the destruction Of the original mai
~ uscript but II he received hlght
III price for the second draft than he ha
u been offered for the first he woul
,. divi(Ss the excess with me.
~ WIS., only too glad to escape wit
- this penalty and accepted the prop
,e sition except as to any pecuniary inte
!! est in what he received for his stor
30 | gave him u couple of hours evel
- working day for a month, at the ell
60 of which time the story was finishe
In the course Of another week |
Nv ceiyed a note from the author conta1
"a ing a check for $3.50, which he sa
- was nv share Of the excess over VII
he had been offered for the first dra
- of his story. And what was my co
ue sternation to see in his signature Il
:. name of one Of the most gifted VIZ
~ ers before the public.
n, He had made a bet with frlel
- that he would submit story TO o
- magazine under an assumed name al
a. nothing would come Of it. Somethl
~ more than he expected did come OF
-. his story was burned. Time show
wbv he treated me 50 nicely. 1t seel
that he had taken the same fancy
me- that had taken to him. That
WHY he wished me for his amanuens
ioI Ha desired to be with me. to becol
acouainted with me. and as 1t turn
u! ont he was afforded an opportunity
ne mako love to me. | have been his W
NC several years and have not yet hea
ar, ~. Inst Of the burning of his prodl