The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-24
EVENING STORY
Finishing the Plot.

OF some pedestrian, picked 1t up ana
put it into his pocket.
In the elevator he took it out and
examined it. 1t was a buckle off a
iady's slipper. He had it in his hand
still when he opened the door of his
office, and Miss Purcell looked up
with interest and surprise when he
laid it on her desk. That's what I've
been looking for for six months." he
said.
Il don't understand" she answered
puzzled.
Don't you remember my telling you
that l was going to write book .;nst
as soon as had a real clew to plot
I've always held that there wouldn't
be so much bosh in fiction if authors
would choose real things to work un
instead of making them up. Now
here | have mystery-a real one. To
whom does the buckle belong?"
Yes, Mr. Pendery, but that's only
an incident, finding it, not a plot. .
Miss Purcell felt it her duty to dis
courage any literary attempt on the
part of her employers son, in her en-
ployer's absence. She had heard SO
many alterations upon the subject
The older Mr.. Pendery wished his son
to devote all his time ard ability to
learning the business, that of foreign
trade, while John, who had been AS
sistant editor of his college journal,
insisted that he wished to follow N
the 1oOlSlepS OF hlpllHS- ne was Will
ing to travel, but he wished to write
about it, not to come home and settle
down in a stuffy office figuring on
how much money could be made in
ostrich feathers if the Audubon So
ciety. could get Its bill passed.
mo, it's not a plot, but that will
come. The thing was to get a real
start and now L have it Whit kin
OF person do you think. Miss Purcelt,
could have lost that buckle" He had
drawn up a chair quite close to her
desk
She picked it up and looked it over.
1t was of silver, square and plain, with
fine lines of black enamel tracing IN
1t that gave it dn oriental look. Il
should say" said she, that it belongs
to a person who knew something pref
ity when she saw it and who would be
very much chagrined when she found
it gone
Let's leave the lady's feelings o 1t
CT it,
Miss Purcell was pensive. she
might be old, of course, for any shoe
dealer would tell you that buckle is
m odest enough to be worn by any
one
Modest. I knew it. Wen leave
out the old And John made an
item with his fountain pen in small
notebook
And it is good. It's marked ster-
ling. The lady would not wear an
imitation
Honest" cried John with delight.
Modest and honest. Holmes and
Lecoq were not in it with you. Go
on,''
I'm afraid I can't I should like
to tell you the lady was beautiful, pc
tite and clever, but my powers of
observation fail me here. This buckle
could come off a No. as easily as
g ., and the lady may be as homely as
Three Eyes in the fairy tale. I'm
afraid she wasn't clever, either, or
she would have missed it Instantly
!, Perhaps she did. There was an
immense crowd. I was probably right
behind her. 1 wish Id looked"
Mr. Pendery, I'd choose a heroine
Of my own making. I'm afraid if you
so TO hunting perfect one you'll be
| like Tom the Water Boy hunting Mr..
Grimes. It will take you over 700
years. Are you indeed going to write
book"
i've fully decided that I must!'
81 suppose it's like measles. If it's
IN you it ought to come out"
But he was paying no attention.
..She'u have harriet me see-about
the color of yours he went on
| Brown with little flecks here and
there of a sort of reddish gold. It's
very becoming piled up high that
way"
THANK you. But why describe your
heroine at all? Make her lovely
/ princess if you like. but Mr., Smith
may prefer an Egyptian type, while
Mr.. Jones admires a taffy blond
IT have a bully idea" cried John
springing up. YOU'D make a fine
| critic. I'm going to do a chapter
every day and let you go over it. il
you will. Well sort of collaborate,
you know I'll not describe her, just
as you suggest, but-but'-she looked
up at him then-"I think I'll just
have to tell about her eyes. I'll make
them big and sort of a darkish gray
like yours, you know whatever color
they are. 1 never could quite de-
| eide"
Miss Purcell blushed and turned te
her typewriter. IT haven't quite fin.
ished copying this dictation, Mr.. Pen
derry. I'm afraid your father is in a
hurry to get it OUT
John started his book, much to the
disgust of his family. 1t was a marvel
Gus tale of an ambassadors daughter
who, after discovering the willingness
| of the young man (who finds the Iost
the earth, conceals her identity an6
uses him to discover state secrets
which she hastens to carry back t6
her own country. The young mar
| follows, and then
Up to this time Miss Purcell ha6
been a great help. She had hurried
with her lunch every day and was
back at the office in time to give &
| half hours work to the manuscript
Now WHAT" asked John, putting the
latest chapter before her one day.
What do you mean?'
What shall l do next? I've got the
poor fellow in a dreadful box ant
don't know how to get him out. Be
sides, I find have not made the CIR
affectionate enough. She doesn'
seem to like him, really"
Miss Rurcell was aghast. do yol
mean that you started your story with
out finishing your plot first Pr
He looked crestfallen. I'm afraie
did"
Then you'll have to begin all ovel
again." she said firmly. THAT is, i
you really still insist on writing &
book"
Ia te IN he haa ten hut I'll b.