Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-01-23
MAKING A MILLION
BY n. T. RICH.


scure little author, of unpopular fic-
tion-short stories that one thanked
heaven were short
The difficulty lay not I'm any lack OF
language, but In IA certain dearth OF
ideas. Result: dull and tedious
tale.
Ever hear OF him? | doubt II. 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 10 her fathers kindly but irregu-
lar tutelage. AS consequence OF
which, by the time she reached TWEEN
ty, she was In possession among other
things of as vigorous an artistic tenn
permanent as the most ardent tempera-
ment fan could desire.
Now IN artistic temperament must
have its opposite. and hers was III. ii.
Bennink-though he pretended he had
just such a temperament as hers and
swore he was writer. For Bennlnk
was vorSed 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
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
slow lid. IL use "A nom de plume"
Whereupon Charles had ceased TO
be concerned on that point. They
understood each other, and the sooner
a certain marriage took place the Get
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 10
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 IL.
would you marry me II l didf" he
asked.
YES" she said.
Now watch
Bennink, being a business man, be-
took himself 10 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 Allalle.
MY dear" he said, at shall be as
you wish. / shall reveal my identity
at last, In a series OF stories which /
promise 10 begin tomorrow"
And when tomorrow arrived. the
series was begun.
We must now suppose some months
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 a Million" the series
was called. Perhaps you have forgot
ten, but the name ii. III. 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. II
is quite customary for authors now
adays 10 have city Offices y TO be met
on his doorstep by an exultant wife.
mot 90 Henry'-'H. ii. Bennink ="
he had laughed. and kissed her.
He said II bored min 10 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 certain pride In her
husband grew and grew. Nor was she
unduly proud. for the series was
great success.
"a case OF getting famous all OF
sudden" he cOnfided 10 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 I'm Eng
fish. They hail me as the man Of the
hour, whereas"
Hush - warned Charles.
The months sped on, the series was
concluded, and presently IL appeared
I'm volume form-so that all might buy
and learn how n certain Henry had
been able 10 gather together ten hun
dred thousand dollars out OF the debris
of Wall street.
Then. one day, Charles +. G. Acker-
son and III. 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 Ia the H.
brary:
my Dear:
81 am the hero, your father the au-
thor. | made the million. He made II
famous. We are on our vacation.
Love. HENRY
"P. S.-You Will find nay handbook
In the top drawer OF my desk"
When Mrs. Bennlnk found that
handbook, she learned something that
gave her artistic temperament ter
rife jolt-and brought her to the con-
clusion that Henry was more OF n
business man. and her father more Of
a writer, than she had supposed-and
that the combination was ideal both
ways.
Welcome More Lloht.