The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-03-22
The Review of
Odds and Ends
@0
BY VINCENT @. PERRY


Copyright. 1915 by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate,)
AS he jerked the copy from his type
writer. Grandon Houston jumped I,
his feet with an exclamation Of relief
He had finished his weekly Review
Of New Books" and IL was ready fol
the composing room. Never before
had the work seemed so tedious as II
had that week. The reading had all
been heavy and even reviewer of
books gets tired of heavy reading
sometimes. But the books were valu-
able ones and he gathered them up to
place them in his bookcase. What Il
lot Of books he had there and not one
of them had cost him Il cent-in fact,
he drew salary for reading them. As
he put the last book In place among
the others he looked ut the title and
gave a gasp of annoyance. Somehow
that was one he had overlooked and il
was necessary to write a review Of IL
before the days work was completed.
"Oh, l can slip 1t in among the re-
views next weekr' he exclaimed, as
he opened the cover TO take n peep
inside, but the first thing that faced
him was note from the editor, pinned
to the title page, requesting a review
for that week. He took out his watch
as he sat down at his desk again
1t just lacked thirty minutes of the
time he had arranged TO meet Mar
guerite. Could he review the book in
thirty minutes? He looked 1t over and
decided that he could.
To begin with, the title, "Odds and
Ends" did not impress him very much.
The authoress, Winifred Shelton was
unknown to hint was her first book,
no doubt, but that didn't soften his
heart. The publishers were we'll
known, but they had published failures
before. He skinned over the pages,
drinking in snatches of the plot as he
went. He had passed his decision be-
fore he was half through, but there
was nothing for it but to read to the |
end. AS he closed the book he looked |
at his watch. Twenty-Five minutes of |
the time had passed and it would take |
him the other five to write the review. |
If he hurried perhaps he could do it In
less time than that he thought, as he
pushed some paper into his machine.
Adverse criticisms always took less
time to write than favorable ones and
more could be said in few words of
sarcasm than in many of praise. He
did not write enough about "Odds and
Ends to make it necessary to re-read
his copy, so when he finished he put
1t with the rest of the reviews and
sent 1t down to the composing room.
The thought that what he had written
would bring pain TO the new writer did
inter his head, but he laughed ii aside.
If she had talent little discourage
nent would merely stimulate 1t, and if !
she hadn't then she would get discour-
lgement sooner or later anyway, he |
'easOned.
After climbing up three flights of i
itairS, hurrying to arrive as near the 6
appointed time as possible, Brandon
anted his way into the reportOrial /
DOM Of the Daily Star. Thank good {
less, Marguerite had waited for him +
Inc look at her, though, told him his
urry had been unnecessary. She was
usily typing and there was a stack of
otes before her that looked like an I,
knights job n
I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait" n
he explained as her fingers moved il
ke lightning. "Pve just got back from d
vacation. If l leave my story to n
rite until the morning I'll have to h
eglect my page and wouldn't do that 81
'r anything. If the convention had IL
Osed an hour sooner l would have oil
cen able to get this in for the morn to
e, but it will have to go over now" W
Without a word of complaint Bran n,
IN sat down and watched her admir- tn
gly. He knew what it was to work
Tertime himself. ne
There, I'm through" Marguerite
Sc with triumphant smile and fir
thered up her copy. "Ive written tn
rec times as much as should have, ed
It the convention is worth it," su
1T is too late to go any place now" tn
andOn smiled good-naturedly. an
Wen go home then and I'll make
little supper for us. 1 made some ne
films this morning and l have some he
sh ground coffee. You know the thu
ID of coffee l can make"
Don't say another word. I'll cave
with hunger before we get there If
! do" he warned. sig
You'll probably die of Indigestion ly
en- we do get there" she laughed, as ors
took her coat and turban from her ing
1er and prepared to leave. COO
t was a cOzy little supper they sat mil
IN to that night in her CHEEKY room ami
they both were hungry enough to Die
1t justice. ma
Won't it be lovely when we can nit
e a supper together every night?" nov
ndon ventured as he devoured the he
muffin. of
Yes, when we do" she answered, pro
lely. of