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the　remaining　ones　are　handed　over　to　his　wife　to　read

after　the　baby　goes　to　sleep。　　A　few　days　later　the　editor

gathers　in　the　MSS。　during　his　regular　rounds　and　con…

siders　the　verdict　of　his　assorted　readers。



This　system　of　making　up　a　magazine　has　been　very

successful；　and　the　circulation；　paced　by　the　advertising

rates；　is　making　a　wonderful　record　of　speed。



The　Hearthstone　Company　also　publishes　books；　and

its　imprint　is　to　be　found　on　several　successful　works

　all　recommended；　says　the　editor；　by　the　Hearthstone'8

army　of　volunteer　readers。　　Now　and　then　（according　to

talkative　members　of　the　editorial　staff）　the　Hearthstone

has　allowed　manuscripts　to　slip　through　its　fingers　on　the

advice　of　its　heterogeneous　readers；　that　afterward　proved

to　be　famous　sellers　when　brought　out　by　other　houses。



For　instance　（the　gossips　say）；　〃The　Rise　and　Fall

of　Silas　Latham〃　was　unfavourably　passed　upon　by　the

elevator…man；　the　office…boy　unanimously　rejected　〃The

Boss〃；　〃In　the　Bishop's　Carriage〃　was　contemptuously

looked　upon　by　the　street…car　conductor；　〃The　Deliver…

ance〃　was　turned　down　by　a　clerk　in　the　subscription

department　whose　wife's　mother　had　just　begun　a　two…

months'　visit　at　his　home；　〃The　Queen's　Quair〃　came

back　from　the　janitor　with　the　comment：　〃So　is　the　book。〃



But　nevertheless　the　Hearthstone　adheres　to　its　theory

and　system；　and　it　will　never　lack　volunteer　readers；

for　each　one　of　the　widely　scattered　staff；　from　the　young

lady　stenographer　in　the　editorial　office　to　the　man　who

shovels　in　coal　（whose　adverse　decision　lost　to　the　Hearth…

stone　Company　the　manuscript　of　〃The　Under　World〃）；

has　expectations　of　becoming　editor　of　the　magazine　some

day。



This　method　of　the　Hearthstone　was　well　known　to

Allen　Slayton　when　he　wrote　his　novelette　entitled　〃Love

Is　All。〃　　Slayton　had　hung　about　the　editorial　offices

of　all　the　magazines　so　persistently　that　he　was　acquainted

with　the　inner　workings　of　every　one　in　Gotham。



He　knew　not　only　that　the　editor　of　the　Hearthstone

handed　his　MSS。　around　among　different　types　of　people

for　reading；　but　that　the　stories　of　sentimental　love…

interest　went　to　Miss　Puffkin；　the　editor's　stenographer。

Another　of　the　editor's　peculiar　customs　was　to　conceal

invariably　the　name　of　the　writer　from　his　readers　of

MSS。　so　that　a　glittering　name　might　not　influence　the

sincerity　of　their　reports。



Slayton　made　〃Love　Is　All〃　the　effort　of　his　life。　　He

gave　it　six　months　of　the　best　work　of　his　heart　and

brain。　　It　was　a　pure　love…story；　fine；　elevated；　romantic；

passionate　　a　prose　poem　that　set　the　divine　blessing

of　love　（I　am　transposing　from　the　manuscript）　high

above　all　earthly　gifts　and　honours；　and　listed　it　in　the

catalogue　of　heaven's　choicest　rewards。　　Slayton's　literary

ambition　was　intense。　　He　would　have　sacrificed　all

other　worldly　possessions　to　have　gained　fame　in　his

chosen　art。　　He　would　almost　have　cut　off　his　right

hand；　or　have　offered　himself　to　the　knife　of　the　appendi…

citis　fancier　to　have　realized　his　dream　of　seeing　one　of

his　efforts　published　in　the　Hearthstone。



Slayton　finished　〃Love　Is　All；〃　and　took　it　to　thy

Hearthstone　in　person。　　The　office　of　the　magazine　was

in　a　large；　conglomerate　building；　presided　under　by　a

janitor。



As　the　writer　stepped　inside　the　door　on　his　way　to

the　elevator　a　potato　masher　flew　through　the　hall；　wreck…

ing；　Slayton's　hat；　and　smashing　the　glass　of　the　door。

Closely　following　in　the　wake　of　the　utensil　flew　the

janitor；　a　bulky；　unwholesome　man；　suspenderless　and

sordid；　panic…stricken　and　breathless。　　A　frowsy；　tall

woman　with　flying　hair　followed　the　missile。　　The

janitor's　foot　slipped　on　the　tiled　floor；　he　fell　in　a　heap

with　an　exclamation　of　despair。　　The　woman　pounced　upon

him　and　seized　his　hair。　　The　man　bellowed　lustily。



Her　vengeance　wreaked；　the　virago　rose　and　stalked

triumphant　as　Minerva；　back　to　some　cryptic　domestic

retreat　at　the　rear。　　The　janitor　got　to　his　feet；　blown

and　humiliated。



〃This　is　married　life；〃　he　said　to　Slayton；　with　a　certain

bruised　humour。　　〃That's　the　girl　I　used　to　lay　awake

of　nights　thinking　about。　　Sorry　about　your　hat；　mister。

Say；　don't　snitch　to　the　tenants　about　this；　will　yer？

I　don't　want　to　lose　me　job。〃



Slayton　took　the　elevator　at　the　end　of　the　hall　and

went　up　to　the　offices　of　the　Hearthstone。　　He　left　the　

MS。　of　〃Love　Is　All〃　with　the　editor；　who　agreed　to　give；

him　an　answer　as　to　its　availability　at　the　end　of　a　week。



Slayton　formulated　his　great　winning　scheme　on　his

way　down。　　It　struck　him　with　one　brilliant　flash；　and

he　could　not　refrain　from　admiring　his　own　genius　in

conceiving　the　idea。　　That　very　night　he　set　about　carry…

ing　it　into　execution。



Miss　Puffkin；　the　Hearthstone　stenographer；　boarded

in　the　same　house　with　the　author。　　She　was　an　oldish；

thin；　exclusive；　languishing；　sentimental　maid；　and

Slayton　had　been　introduced　to　her　some　time　before。



The　writer's　daring　and　self…sacrificing　project　was

this：　　He　knew　that　the　editor　of　the　Hearthstone　relied

strongly　upon　Miss　Puffkin's　judgment　in　the　manuscript

of　romantic　and　sentimental　fiction。　　Her　taste　represented

the　immense　average　of　mediocre　women　who　devour

novels　and　stories　of　that　type。　　The　central　idea　and

keynote　of　〃Love　Is　All〃　was　love　at　first　sight　　the

enrapturing；　irresistible；　soul…thrilling；　feeling　that　com…

pels　a　man　or　a　woman　to　recognize　his　or　her　spirit…mate

as　soon　as　heart　speaks　to　heart。　　Suppose　he　should

impress　this　divine　truth　upon　Miss　Puffkin　personally！

　would　she　not　surely　indorse　her　new　and　rapturous

sensations　by　recommending　highly　to　the　editor　of　the

Hearthstone　the　novelette　〃Love　Is　All〃　？



Slayton　thought　so。　　And　that　night　he　took　Miss

Puffkin　to　the　theatre。　　The　next　night　he　made　vehement

love　to　her　in　the　dim　parlour　of　the　boarding…house。　　He

quoted　freely　from　〃Love　Is　All〃；　and　he　wound　up　with

Miss　Puffkin's　head　on　his　shoulder；　and　visions　of　literary

fame　dancing　in　his　head。



But　Slayton　did　not　stop　at　love…making。　　This；　he

said　to　himself；　was　the　turning　point　of　his　life；　and；　like

a　true　sportsman；　he　〃went　the　limit。〃　　On　Thursday

night　he　and　Miss　Puffkin　walked　over　to　the　Big　Church

in　the　Middle　of　the　Block　and　were　married。



Brave　Slayton！　　Chateaubriand　died　in　a　garret；

Byron　courted　a　widow；　Keats　starved　to　death；　Poe

mixed　his　drinks；　De　Quincey　hit　the　pipe；　Ade　lived　in

Chica…o；　James　kept　on　doing　it；　Dic　Kens　wore　white

socks；　De　Maupassant　wore　a　strait…jacket；　Tom　Watson

became　a　Populist；　Jeremiah　wept；　all　these　authors　did

these　things　for　the　sake　of　literature；　but　thou　didst

cap　them　all；　thou　marriedst　a　wife　for　to　carve　for　thyself

a　niche　in　the　temple　of　fame！



On　Friday　morning　Mrs。　Slayton　said　she　would　go

over　to　the　Hearthstone　office；　hand　in　one　or　two　manu…

ripts　that　the　editor　had　given　to　her　to　read；　and　resign

her　position　as　stenographer。



〃Was　there　anything　　er　　that　　er　　you　particu…

larly　fancied　in　the　stories　you　are　going　to　turn　in？〃

asked　Slayton　with　a　thumping　heart。



〃There　was　one　a　novelette；　that　I　liked　so　much；〃

said　his　wife。　　〃I　haven't　read　anything　in　years　that

I　thought　was　half　as　nice　and　true　to　life。〃



That　afternoon　Slayton　hurried　down　to　the　Hearth…

stone　office。　　He　felt　that　his　reward　was　close　at　hand。

With　a　novelette　in　the　Hearthstone；　literary　reputation

would　soon　be　his。



The　office　boy　met　him　at　the　railing　in　the　outer

office。　　It　was　not　for　unsuccessful　authors　to　hold

personal　colloquy　with　the　editor　except　at　rare　intervals。



Slayton；　hugging　himself　internally；　was　nursing　in

his　heart　the　exquisite　hope　of　being　able　to　crush　the

office　boy　with　his　forthcoming　success。



He　inquired　concerning　his　novelette。　　The　office　boy

went　into　the　sacred　precincts　and　brought　forth　a　large

envelope；　thick　with　more　than　the　bulk　of　a　thousand

diecks。



〃The　boss　told　me　to　tell　you　he's　sorry；〃　said　the　boy；

〃but　your　manuscript　ain't　available　for　the　magazine。〃



Slayton　stood；　dazed。　　〃Can　you　tell　me；〃　he　stammered；

〃whether　or　no　Miss　Puff　　that　is　my　　I　mean　Miss

ruffkin　　handed　in　a　novelette　this　morning　that　she

had　been　asked　to　read？〃



〃Sure　she　did；〃　answered　the　office　boy　wisely。　　〃I

heard　the　old　man　say　that　Miss　Puffkin　said　it　was　a

daisy。　　The　name　of　it　was；　'Married　for　the　Mazuma；

or　a　Working　Girl's　Triumph。'〃



〃Say；　you！〃　　said　the　office　boy　confidentially；　〃your

name's　Slayton；　ain't　it？　　I　guess　I　mixed　cases　on　vou

without　meanin'　to　do　it。　　The　boss　give　me　some　manu…

script　to　hand　around　the　other　day　and　I　got　the　ones　for

Miss　Puffkin　and　the　janitor　mixed。　　I　guess　it's　all　right；

though。〃



And　then　Slayton　looked　closer　and