The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1958-11-27

say this lousy little paper mas Deen lousy TOT HE pdsl
few months would be to waste space and time and since +
have plenty of both admit this lousy little paper has been
lousy for the past few months Wish Ia been the first TO
have said thatD
For all THINGS there is either cause or reason and in the
case at hand there both cause and reason The cause
easy TO determines I'm not only slightly stupid but I'm in
clned to be slightly lazy The reason we'll, it goes back
TO about two years ago.
AS of Two years AGO there had been few requests from
persons wanting certain editorials from back issues of the
paper had keen desire o take in every dime could SO
spoke with Mark Ethrdge and asked his opinion about
collecting some of the material into book form and selling it,
He said he'd speak with friend of his, Senior Editor at
Simon Sohuster in New York gentleman named Joseph
Barnes.
Mark spake; Joe replied He said such project would
need considerable work. and even then it wasn't much OF
bet At the mention of the word work decided to do
the project myself II then that published the booklets
of editorial reprints 1000 in ALL which sold tor Soc can
assure you there many moments When coUd confirm
Joe's valued opinion
Out of all that came closer contact with Joe Barnes
Over the months we talked about book first one idea was
discussed then another In June Of 1857 was riding with
Joe in cab in New York and he said to me- p D., what
would like to see YOU do is subjective book The more
subjective the BETTER nodded my head and made mental
note to look up the word when could get around 10 IT, AND
later did and I'm still not TOO about Joes usage OF the
word
Beinq ambitious rushed into the writing Of such manu-
script having begun about the 9Th day OF May l9oo ana
from that time until this most of my efforts have gone into
the writing of that manuscript and I've only started Anyway
that's the reason the lousy little paper has been lousy
keep telling myself.
Since May Joe and have had few talks about the effort
Last month was in New York and for the first time Joe be-
Gan TO sound like an editor instead OF friend. Frankly
I'm inclined TO think editors don't have frends Anyway
we spoke money contract and such undressing SUIT
pon my return to The Magnolia Jungle Joe called and said
that Simon Schuster would be pleased to publish the book,
that contract would be sent me-
And twas signed last week and I've not slept night
since They inserted deadine March, l952 How zoe
Barnes co0Id do thing like that to me is something don't
know After ALL needed eleven full months to us decide
whether or not wanted to try TO write the thing boy them
Yankees don't understand our way Of life, Id say)
few people have inquired of me as TO what the manu-
script is about Generally think they want TO know 70 -
words or less And I'd tell EN-, except tor the tacf na
on know At this point have between 80 and IS thousand
words ia first draft and don't any more know what me
books about than you would you read it. = WORDS or ess
ndeed Actually I've been meaning TO ask Joe Barnes Wal
he THOUGHT the book was about. would like 10 Know;
who loo hasn't actually begun work editor, he has