The herald., 1918-04-25
MAKING A MILLION
BY II. T. RICH.

Charles Il. Z. AckerSOn was an OD-
scure little author of unpopular tic-
tion-shOrt stories that one thanked
heaven were shot.
The difficulty l9y not in any lack of
language, but ina certain dearth or
ideas. Result: Va dull and tedious
tale.
Ever hear of him? / doubt 1t. Any
way, you would be unlikely to know he
had daughter. He had. though Her
name was Allalie, and her mother had
died when she was very small, leaving
her to her fathers kindly but irregu-
lar tutelage. AS a consequence OF
which, by the time she reached twen-
ty, she was in possession among other
things of as vigorous an artistic tenn
permanent as the most ardent temporal
ment fan could desire.
Now an artistic temperament must
have its opposite, and hers was III. III.
Bennink-thOugh he pretended he had
just such a temperament as hers and
swOre he was writer. For Bennink
was versed in the ways of women.
Moreover, he and the aforesaid
Charles were friends. Put this with
the fact that he actually was in love
with daughter Allalie. and you have a
situation that would really have af-
forded grounds for fiction.
Henry" Charles said one day, 'yOu
don't write. I'll wager you never sold
a story in your life"
"Hush" Henry replied, dropping a
slow lid. II use a nom de plume"
Whereupon Charles had ceased to
be concerned on that point. They
understood each other, and the sooner
q certain marriage took place, the bet
ter.
But not so Allalie. She wanted a
real author, not one who used nom de
plumes" and was mysteriously reti-
cent about his work.
Its no use, Henry" she exclaimed
at length, after he had been coming to
see her for several months. you've
either got to write under your own
name, or go away-for good"
Her words were final, and he
knew it.
would you marry me if did," he
asked.
"Yes," she said.
Now watchl
Bennink, being a business man, be-
took himself to Charles inner shrine
and sat with him in solemn conclave.
There was bold talk, and mention Of
sums of money in seven figures. An
agreement was reached. Then he re-
turned to Allalie.
my DEAR" he said, at shall be as
you wish. 1 shall reveal my identity
at last, in a series of stories which !
promise to begin tomorrow"
And when tomorrow arrived, the
series was begun.
We must now suppose some months
to have elapsed, and Allalie to have
become Mrs. Bennink.
Do you remember those stories in
ks Magazine last year, about the
young fellow who succeeded in reliev-
ing Wall street of so much money?
'Henry Makes Million" the series
was called. Perhaps you have forgot
ten, but the name III. II. Bennink was
under the title.
Bennink will never forget. The
memorable day the issue containing
his first story appeared, he had re-
turned from the office eyes, indeed, it
is quite customary for authors now
adays to have city Offices y to be met
on his doorstep by an exultant wife.
'Not %. Henry'-'H. II. Bennink p"
he had laughed, and kissed her.
He said it bored him to see his name
in print. But the arrival of each
months issue of ks continued to
be fraught with keenest interest for
his wife, and q certain pride in her
husband grew and grew. Nor was she |
unduly proud, for the series was a
great success.
"a case of getting famous all Of a
sudden" he confided to Charles one
morning. "Why, do you know, dozens |
of magazines are after me for stories, |
publishers are bothering me to death |
about book rights, and seven colleges
have offered me professorships In Eng
lish. They hail me as the man of the |
hour, whereas"
"Hush !" warned Charles.
The months sped on, the series was
and presently it appeared |
in volume form-so that all might buy
and learn how a certain Henry had
been able to gather together ten hun.
dred thousand dollars out of the debris
Of Wall street.
Then, one day, Charles E. G. Acker.
son and II. III. Bennink voted them
selves leave of absence; and Mrs. Ben
mink, returning from an afternoon auc-
ton party, found the following note
from her distinguished husband pinned
rakishly to the lampshade in the Ii
brary:
MY Dear:
II am the hero, your father the au-
thor. made the million. He made it
famous. We are on our vacation.
Love. HENRY.
"P. S.-You will find my handbook
In the top drawer of my desk"
When Mrs. Bennink found that
she learned something that
gave her artistic temperament a ter
rife jolt-and brought her to the con-
n rrf ALA III