Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-11-23
HOWIBECAME
FAMOUS
BY BARBARA PHlPPo

We % through the world seldom tax
ing note that our every condition is due
to some insignificant cause. am
literary woman whose works are uni
versally read. | am married to a lit
erary man whose works are a drug in
the market And yet when met him
he stood high with litterateurs, while
had not yet written line. What was
the Insignificant cause of this boulever-
sement?
will tell you.
One SUMNER was then twenty
two years old got out my trunk to
pack 1t before going to the country to
spend month at the Sacacachet inn.
Glenwood The trunk was so dilapi
dated that | dared not trust 1t In the
hands Of baggage smashers. could
not well afford a new one. but went
out to see what could do in the mat
ter. hit upon a secondhand trunk
too good to be called such. and bought
It for reasonable price. On one end
were the letters s. L. o. Those were
not my initials. and directed the sell
Or to erase them and put mine there
AhohCda " hSL tiiC II uhh was uCliN'
cred to me he had neglected to do 50
had rot time to send it back, so took
1t away with me as It was.
In the reading room took up city
newspaper, and my eye fell on notices
Of the movements of celebrities. One
was as follows; Miss Sarah Louise
Olmstead is spending the month Of
July at the Sacacachet inn, at Glen.
wood" Miss Olmstead was novelist
Of reputation. l congratulated myself
that l would have an opportunity to
meet her.
/ was sitting on the hotel piazza In
the evening twilight when a gentle
man stepped up to me and said defer.
entially:
miss Olmstead. we scribblers, l pre-.
sumo, do not need an introduction. |
am Sidney Hail. May | claim your
acquaintance? l have enjoyed your
works immensely and have felt that If
my especial line and yours could be
Joined we could do something remark.
able. | am fortunate in meeting you
here, and with your permission l will
explain what have in mind"
While he was lying this a light was
breaking In on my dull brain. had
been taken for the famous Miss Ohm.
stead. At the same time a desire to
see If something interesting might not
come of the mistake, as well as curios.
ity, led me to ask Mr.. Hall what had
led to the discovery of my identity. He
told me that my initials ON the end Of
my trunk had been observed and a
newspaper had announced my coming
1t was evident that the real celebrity
had not arrived or. If she had. was In.
cognita.
| formed no plan with regard to per.
sonating Miss Olmstead; simply drift.
ed into doing So She did not appear
TO expose me, and it would not have
troubled me if she had, for | permit.
ted Mr. Hall especially to continue in
error simply for lark. | listened to
his plans for cola boration between us
with interest and was reckless enough
to assent to them.
He left the inn early the next morn
Ing, but during the evening | spent
with him he elaborated his scheme,
ing the next few days to laying down
a skeleton OF the work he proposed
The truth Is was quite delighted with
his proposition and eager to see if |
could make any success of my part
OF It. atc
ln couple of days l sent Mr.. Hah
the result of my labors, and he wrote
me that he was delighted with II. His
reply. addressed To Miss Olmstead. was
put In my box by the hotel clerk.
wrote my collaboration that | would
continue my work, suggested that he
proceed with his part and as soon as
| returned to the city he might cali on
me and we would confer further.
or course there must soon come an
end to all this. and In truth my reck
iessness In playing the part of another
soon began to wear on me and caused
an earlier return to the city than had
expected. As soon as l arrived mott
fed Mr.. Hall. He came to see me, and
l confessed to him that I was not Miss
Olmstead, l was nx a scribbler and
knew nothing about writing fiction.
He looked at me. dumfounded and
incredulous, for a few moments, then
said:
Whoever and whatever you are,
you have laid down a scheme for i.
novel SO original and capable of be-
ing worked to advantage that 1t will
surely be success. All | ask. that
you act With me In carrying 1t OUT.
Within a year, our novel, IA Matri
monial Venture" was published and
was the literary success of the year
Before Its publication Mr. Hall and
perpetrated another matrimonial ven.
ture which was equally successful
Ny literary venture was followed up
BY another work Independent Of my
husband. and from that day. while my
lightweight productions continued to
grow IN favor hls doansr 1,nae y~r.1