Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-01-13
The Daily
Short Story
OPTIMISTIC NAN.
By Jack Lawton.

Nan sat close to the window
where the fast-fading daylight
came through a break between
high buildings. She was writing
happily, in a fever of excitement to
finish her creation and be off with
it 10 the mails.
AS she smoothed the manuscript,
and reread what she had written,
Nan chuckled joyous1y: and when
she had folded the pages, she turn
ed to a yellow cat curled up at her
side.
1T is good, Jasper" the girl tri-
umphed; ''it will start US on our
way to fortune"
Jasper blinked back dispassion-
ately, as though Mans ever-ready
optimism failed to impress him.
Had she not always yearned to
be a writer, even when housekeep-
ing for daddy had been her neces-
sity? Now that daddy had married
again, and she was free to carry
out her ambitions, she intended TO
do SO with all that was in her.
When she had become successfully
! started upon her chosen career.
Nan promised herself to victorious
ly go back again to Lonsdale.
the starting.
In vain, friends had pointed out
to her the difficulties and diBap-
pointments of would-be writer's.
There was Aunt Nancy Whitcome,
for whom Nan had been named; it
was the eccentricities of Aunt Nan
cy which had set her chuckling as
she read the caricature Of her OVID
| pen.
The first winter snow had made
the air so chill that Nan determined
to buy winter suit; the fall one
was quite too thin, and 1t might
still be charged to her fathers &C
count at Kerrey's. Not that Nan
intended her father to pay for the
suit. With his second and ill-ad-
! vised marriage, there had been n
parting of the ways. She would
pay for the suit herself with this
! first story check. But it was slow
! in coming.
After the fifth days eager watch
! for the postman, Nan wrinkled her
brows perplexed. Then again she
| pinned on the turban.
when you want a thing" she
! admonished Jasper, "go after it,"
She disliked sitting in the wait
ing room of the great publishing
building; it would save SO much
time to be shown directly into the
editors presence.
A resignedlooking office wo-
| man gave the promise of looking
| into the matter of her neglected
story, and then the young woman
remained so long away that Nan
! feared she had forgotten about it.
/ So when a man of distinguished APP
! pearance entered the room from
! the outer door, and was about to
| follow into the sanctum to which
| the young woman had gone, Nan
pressed forward, making known to
| him her Grand
The man paused courteously, re-
garding Mans eager face.
| "A story" he questioned, which
J you had written? Have we pub
/ lished anything of yours before?''
"Oh. no." Nan told him. This
is the very first story l have sub
mitted. 1t was sent in five days
ago | thought perhaps" she add
ed, that they would let me have
my money now"
The distinguished man coughed
/ in an undecided manner, then he
smiled. MY dear young lady, he
said, I'VE do not accept all submit
ted stories. In fact-a great many
! of them are returned"
| Nan nodded Understandings. "Of
course" she replied, that must be
so. But my story-is one of the
accepted kind"
The managing editor, looking in
to her shining eyes. turned sud
denly toward the inner room.
81 will send Mr.. Knowlton to
you" he said.
Mr.. KnowIton appearing directly,
| seemed to be more reasonable.
Nan was aware as he approached
=. that he bore a long envelope in his
] hand. Also. Mr.. Knowlton was
| young and kindly.
You see," he apologized, they
! hadn't got around to reading your
! stuff; and-truth is, we are pretty
we'll stocked up with material for
some time to come. If you'd let
us look at this later"
81 cannot wait" Nan pleasantly
explained; my suit has to be paid
for, you see. l charged it, waiting
| for my check"
Check" Mr.. >Knowlton blankly
repeated.
YES" Nan told him; "the check
for this story was TO pay for this
suit"
The young editor stared, and as
HIS eyes rested upon Nan, they
grew even more kindly.
"You could read 1t now" she sug-
| gested. 81 could sit here until you
have finished"
And as though he were not quite
sure that he was following her sug-
gestion, Mr.. Knowlton sank into a
| chair and opened the long envelope
! 1t was a sudden amused chuckle
which aroused Nan from hopeful!
reverie. And then after several
more Irresistible chuckles, Mr..
Knowlton stood waving the pages
of her writing before her.
"Why, this is great" he exclaim-
ed; it's great! We will take all OF
this sort of thing you can do"
Nan smiled, as one who has long
known a truth.
II will soon bring more" she
said.
But back in the little room she