Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1908 — HIS FIRST LITERARY EFFORT. [ARTICLE]

HIS FIRST LITERARY EFFORT.

Not Likely Among the "Six Bost Sellers” of That Year. A party of friends had gathered in the author’s house to congratulate him on the success of his new book. They were extravagantly enthusiastic, as friends are apt to be on such occasions, and the young author was swelling visibly. The author’s mother beamed. Finally one of the guests turned to her. “Tell me, did your son show symptoms of literary genius at an early age? I presume he did, and you’ve got some baby effusion treasured away.” “I have the first letter he ever wrote me.” said the mother smiling, “and maybe you’d call it his first literary effort. He was on a visit to his grandmother’? and he had never visited her without me before. But maybe you’d like to hear the letter.” The guests chorused “Yes" eagerly. The mother produced a crumpled envelope and paper and read slowly: “Dear Mama —The dogs is awful thick here. Your loving son.”