Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1911 — HOW THE STORY WAS FINISHED [ARTICLE]

HOW THE STORY WAS FINISHED

The Office Hack Gets a Start In Literature.

The editorial staff of the Pacific Magazine consisted of, first, the editor and proprietor, Edward Farnham, capitalist and litterateur; two readers and a young man named Arthur Otis, who did odd jobs in the “making up” that were not considered of sufficient importance to take up the time of the others. One day Mr. Farnham laid a manuscript novel on Otis' desk and said: “There’s a novel by Donald Fox. L want you to go over it and get it ready for the printer.” Mr. Farnham usually gave bis orders, to Otis especially. without comment, but today' he was very much pleased and added: “We must begin that in May. i’ve been keeping a place for it. Anything by Fox will increase the circulation 50 per cent, it ought to. It cost 10 cents a M’ord for the serial right alone. This is the best thing, in my judgment, he’s ever done; a new departure; not a bit in his usual style.” Otis never made a reply to anything the bead of the concern said. He took the manuscript and began to work upon it immediately. The next day he took, it to his chief and pointed out what he considered a defect, suggesting tlftit it be referred back to the author to be changed! Mr. Farnham scowled, examined the pages referred to and told Otis that he was not employed to tell eminent writers how to write novels. When Otis had concluded his work he laid the. manuscript on Mr. Farnham’s desk and remarked: “I see, sir, that the work is not finished.” “Mr. Fox hu3 promised to have it all in by the required time.” “But, sir,” said the clerk, as a shade of anxiety passed over his face, “don’t you fear that if anything should happen to Mr. Fox”— “Well?” said the manager in icy tone. “Gould any one else finish it?” “No. but I’m going to take the risk.” In due time the story appeared, and its reception was far beyond what the manager had looked for. The criticisms were fine, all critics noting the new departure of the author. One day when the story had been running six months Otis noticed a gentleman whom he was told was the celebrated Donald Fox talking with the manager. After the visitor had gone Mr. Farnham brought a package to Otis’ desk. “The closing chapters of Fox’s great novel,” he said. The next morning Otis stood by his chief’s desk waiting permission to speak. “Well?” said the manager, looking up. “Have you read these chapters of Mr. Fox’s novel?” asked the understrapper. “No.” • “They are entirely unlike the rest The public will not believe Mr. Fox wrote them. They are very abrupt.” It was on the chief’s tongue to tell his subordinate to attend to his own business, but the last words changed the impulse. Since the author was to be paid 10 cents a word for the work it would not be to his interest to close it abruptly. “Leave it,” said the chief. For the next few days Otis sat at his desk surrounded by a cyclone. From what he overheard he judged that Fox had confessed that he had hired a literary man who had done some good work to write the story at 5 cents a word. The author had been taken ill and died when the work was about two-thirds finished. Fox had hurriedly written the last chapters himself. As soon as he gathered this information Otis walked humbly to the chiefs desk. “Would you like, sir, Mr. Fox’s novel continued in the same vein as the earlier chapters?” “Like It? We’re in the biggest hole”— He stopped short He remembered that Otis had warned him of this very possibility. "Was there any understanding with Mr. Fox as to the length of the story?” asked Otis. Farnham looked at the young man with amazement. None of his employees had ever dared ask him about the terms of his contracts before. "Do you know your business?” "Yes, sir. But”"Well, do it, and let other people’s business alone.” . "I’ve understood that Mr. Fox was to get 10 cents a word and that he sublet the work for 5 cents a wprd. but I don’t know how long the story was to be.” "Well, sir. why should you know?’ fact is. Mr. Farnham, I’m intetestM.” "Interested! You impudent”— "Yes. sir; pecuniarily interested. You see. Mr. Farnham, Mr. Fox got 10 cents a word and sublet it to Andy Nichols at 5 cents. Nichols sublet it to me at 2 cents a word. That’s pretty poor pay, you know, but if I’m to be permitted to string it out I can make a good thing after all.” There was a dead silence in the editorial rooms for thirty seconds. Then the chief said: "Ran it to suit yourself at 10 cents a word.” And that’s how Arthur Otis got his start in literature.