The Meeker herald., 1917-09-29

was SituSt wv "Sii OASN ~
take advantage Of my friendly ad-
vances or was not disposed t" he 80
ciable. My scheme for play depend
ed largely on my being able to study
him. and ! threw away what con-
sidered false modesty and resolved to
spare 10 effort to submit hir, TO my
purpose.
soon convinced him that ! desired
his acquaintance and. when sure that
lie would not be presuming. lie recip'
rocatcd my advances. and. although
there was no revelation OF his inner
self. we came to be on excellent terms.
Every day my play WINS taking
shape. the young couple l had seen at
the barn dance being my leading man
and woman and to whom ] lad given
the names respectively of John and
Edna. concocted pretty scenes be-
tween the lovers. interspersing them
with periods OF influence brought to
bear on Edna by Forester. The rules
Of dramatic procedure are imperative.
and l found myself Obliged to make
Forester the villain Of my play. But
II he must he villain he should he
fascinating villain.
What Mr.. Forester was doing at
the inn did not know. II lie did any
work he must have dom 1t In his room.
for never saw him doing anything.
But he seemed to be constantly dream
ing and appeared to be too lazy to do
anything else. At first was curious
to know why he was thus spending his
time. but l became 80 interested In
my play that thought very little
about his occupation.
When l had finished my story In the
rough before making scenario OF 1t
| resolved to submit 1t TO Mr.. Forces
ter, to whom | hud confessed what ]
was doing. and ask for suggestions.
He took my manuscript. promising to
return it when read. with his criticism.
had named him in my story Alfred
Denton and l had no fear that he
would recognize himself under this
name. I don't think he did. for when
he returned the manuscript his chief
criticism was that had made my VII
lain a very attractive character and
my hero a country pumpkin. An au-
dience would naturally sympathfze
with the former and condemn the lat
ter.
was somewhat discouraged at this
and resolved that II could not key
IN the rustic / would at least try t.
reduce the fascinating powers of his
hval.
One morning, taking up newspa-
per, I noticed an announcement that
Edward Forester. the novelist. was
taking a rest at the Waverly Inn. In
Calumet county. The words sent
shock through me. Literary persons
of note are besieged by amateurs and
other scribbers for criticisms on their
work. blushed at remembering that
I had asked Mr.. Forester for an opin-
ion on my work.
After consideration concluded to
keep my knowledge Of his being q
novelist to myself, permitting him to
presume that was ignorant OF 1t. /!
iabored to reduce the attractiveness or
my villain, but found 1t impossible.
The truth Is that had conceived an
admiration for the model for Denton
thut would insist on coming out In
Denton. After much working over the
character found that the more labor
put into 1t the more of middle !
made of 1t. Then. i'm despair. gave
IN tho whole matter. I was tired out
with 1t and determined to go home and
undertake another work later. Before
setting out concluded to tell MIR. For
roster that Notwithstanding his reu-
cence knew who he was.
We sat on the veranda of the hotel
when I began by announcing that
proposed to leave the next day. was
looking him In the eye at the time.
and. despite his control of himself.
saw that my announcement was some
thing of backset to him.
81 nm sorry for that" he said. Il
am a scribbler as well as you. / came
here to write n novel. and would ike
your opinion Of It,"
"My opinion would be worthless"
replied, but such as 1t is I would be
happy to give 1t to you. Let me have
your manuscript, and l will read 1t De-
fore I CO."
He went to his room and Drought HIS
novel. l withdrew to a secluded spot
and read till 1 had finished it. When
| had done SO l saw Mr.. Forester sit
ting on the veranda. Returning his
manuscript, l said:
sit is singular that must make the
same criticism of your work that you
made of mine. The woman whom you
have made foil for your heroine
should have been the heroine and the
other the foil"
was somewhat surprised to see on
his face. instead OF look OF disap'
pointment. smile.
What pieases your" l asked.
81 have uncOnsciously and despite
myself shown that man cannot take
for a model a woman he IL interested