The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-05-13
Confessions ofaMlfe
moLLiE PERsuADEs Me r
WRITE The STORY

when are you going TO begin !
that stuff for the newspaper ?"
asked Mollis. after she had called !
smile 20 my face by her story.
u don't know" / answered some
what uncertainty. I'm the first
place. don't know whether ! can
write a story that people will care
TO read. am afraid that the mo
ment ! take up my pencil 10 write
will become 80 conscious and np-
pAlied by the thousands OF readers.
that vii find myself trying to
write what they would like TO read.
no, what should like to write
THAT would be fatal" said Mol.
lie. with the superiority OF her
year In newspaper work. Chad
has always contcnded that the only
merit OF my stuff was that ! ap-
parently wrote with no idea OF my
readers in mind.
He always said. 'Mollie. three
quarters OF tho books and nine
tenths OF the newspapers publish
cd are full OF SOP for tho readers.
and the consequence II they bore
YOU 10 death with their mediocrity'
Il believe. Margie. II you have
an idea for n story. your imagina-
ton and Insight into human ma
ture are strong enough 90 make II
rattling good reading ~ told IN
your own way. Just as you write In
your little book"
1T seems TO me. Mollie. that ]
know true story that would
make good reading. You know ]
have no relatives In tho world. Ny
mother was an only child. and the
members of my fathers family
we're hll short.lived All his sis
ters-ho lad no brothers died be
fore he did. The only person who
seems really TO belong TO me IL my
dear Annie.
However. did know girl for
short time whose life seemed TO
be a story. She taught as a sub
s,itute in the school where ! was
/ teacher. At that time she told
about her experiences. and they
we're very interesting.
Soon after. however. lost track
OF her. but yesterday she came to
SEQ me, and has promised to tell
me the remainder OF her story. ]
told her had been asked to write
| something OF the kind. and that IL
abe would permit mo I would try
and write about her struggles.
Il think. Mollie. that she felt so
sorry for mo lying here that she
gave me permission to do this
What kind OF a story In II. Mar
gie?" asked Mollle.
IT Ia the trials and tribulations
OF n girl left alone In the world
without money and Obliged to
earn her daily bread"
THAT sounds good. II I were
you. would commence II right
away"
"oh, I know. MollIe, why you are
saying that You want me TO start
something OF this kind because
you think II viii take my mind off
OF myself"
THAT is not wholly the reason.
dear" said Mollie. thoughtfully. Il
have long thought that some ono
ought TO write the story OF the
girl who is alone In the world. and
who must make her own way.
don't mean those out-of-thc-usual
girls who resist every temptation,
big or little. or those who are so
weak that they fall into sin almost
without knowing II.
What every girl wants to know
is how the girl like herself--the
average girl-treats certain com
mon sins and moral lapses; wheth'
er It is better TO lie little, or TO
sorrow much; whether there Is
any mercy In women, or Justice In
men. for the girl who puts every
thing TO the test and fails, and II
this failure means forever"
Mollie stopped suddenly. She
was much moved. | could see she
too. had had her temptations. SHE
too. had fought the battle.
You should write the story
yourself. Mollle." said
NO. dear, want you to write
II. for | have always thought yot
could write. and now. II ever. Is
the time for you TO begin"
Little book. | am going &c
try. and you viii be the first to SEE
Il, for, before | write II for publ
cation, | am going 20 put II nj
down In these pages, Then I viii
read It to the old crowd, and. 4
they approve. will let Pat pub
lish It.
ITO be contlnued)