The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-01
Now Read On

IT have heard that successful
authors laugh at the claim that
one has to be in the mood. They
maintain that it is a matter OF
steady application"
Margery wanted to tell him to
stop being lazy and to get busy
and dictate, but she was far too
diplomatic.
Right, it's steady application,
and I happen to be fresh out of
steady application today, Miss
Morrison"
Eager to get him interested,
Margery decided to talk about this
unfinished novel.
Have you got title, yet?"
she asked.
IT might" Freddy said, with a
grin, call it David Copperfield
or What the Dickens s."
"Please be serious. Surely five
more chapters will not be difficult
to do" She picked Up the three
typed pages. you have this much
done on the twenty-SiXth chapter.
Your heroine Sylvia, is finding
that having what she calls a
career is not all milk and honey.
"She is worrying about this
character, Charles, and her sis
ter's letter to the effect that he is
often seen at the country club
with the young Widow Garvin,
who"
Margery glanced up. Freddy
was gone. She gasped with
amazement 4 then saw him out
on the balcony. She crossed the
living room and looked out. He
had q fly rod and was casting,
evidently trying to hook some
thing down on the terrace below.
Despite her rapidly growing in
tereSt in this man, it angered her.
She didn't wonder that Mrs.
Belden said such cross things
about him.
He certainly did seem to be not
only lazy, but childish and ire
sponsible. She stepped out on the
balcony and looked down and i'm
mediately stepped back again,
with q stifled gasp OF amazement.
There was no mistaking what
Freddy was trying to do. On the
terrace that went with the apart
ment below, a very fat man lay
stretched out, asleep, taking sun
bath, his only covering apparently
being a turkish towel. Freddy
Matthews was trying to hook that
towel and yank it away!
"Er-perhaps you had rather
work out here, Mr.. Matthews" "
Margery said.
81 rather not work any place.
Doggone it, Miss Morrison, 1
almost hooked him then, and you
startled me-"
He put away the rod regretfully
and went back to the study. He
picked up the typed pages, looked
them over and then looked at
Margery who sat primly at the end
of the desk, note book in hand and
pencil ready.
Freddy quickly looked away.
That hurt Margery more than all
else. Her disguise had been alto
gether too perfect. 1t made her
too hideous. He couldn't bear to
look at her, she thought.
Freddy grabbed a writing pad
and began to make notes.
Il have to get sort of skeleton
synopsis a bit ahead" he ex-
planned, without looking up, and
then can dictate from that"
For an hour he scoWled and
made notes and stared out of the
window. Then he began to dictate.
He did it slowly, heSitatingly, and
punctuated it with frequent signs
Of unrest. Finally he glanced at
the clock.
you may type that much" he
said, getting up and going into
the library. He sat on the divan,
lighted a cigarette and began list-
leSSly to throw the feathered darts
at the picture of the rooster.
Margery proceeded to type from
her notes. When this was fin
ished she was amazed to see that
~ 44AoAS N44AJ 4OO4 PA6So' O14C WC4lL
to the living room door with the
typed pages.
Ready for more dictation, Mr..
Matthews" she said, with an at,
tempt at gaity.
He threw three more darts be
fore replying.
80 Soon?" He stood up
Rfretched Smothered q vaUyo and
looked at his watch.
lone o'clock" he said, "let's see
that would be only o'clock in
Siam. Lucky dogs, those Siamese
I've been up for hours and they're
still sleeping. Oh well, what dc
you say we knock off work and
have lunch?"
"Work?" Margery exclaimed, &C.
cusingly.
"Oh I say, Miss Morrison,
won't have you being such a slave