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i ] == T. L. MITCHELL, Publisher Vol. 22 —No. 1. w ■ - yffiSL -< -* SSh , />,> fljpff // **’ X*. pgg fsf '' Jft jw <KvJOv . ’MB >y Fl • 1 vw».. ' _ - '•' ‘ ‘ ' i ; For Woman’s Work. F I n sunbeam, warm and bright, And could heart=thrill of pure delight, I ’ I'would b? to nestle deep within A babe’s dimple in cheeQ or chin! George Bancroft Griffith. Fur Woman’s Work. TDn© IWweir off IHloipe, Outline Sketch- BY MARY M. CURRIER. WO women are writing. One is a little, pale, over-burdened wo man with weakened nerves ar-d aching head; the other is a strong, care free, cultured woman to whom life has been very kind. Os course the first woman is not writing well. She is not a gen ius. If she were a genius the very fact of her poverty and distress might add to the vigor and vividness of her story. But, being merely a wo man, her circumstances cripple her. She knows this, and she realizes that she is not doing work worthy of her. The other woman does not care particularly whether her story is successful or not. It will mean a few more dollars to spend, and a very pleasant subject to talk about for a little while, it she succeeds in writing a good one; but she is in no special need of more money, and, as for the pleasure of the achievement, she is already acknowledged to be an exceedingly bright woman. One additional piece of evidence as to her cleverness will not matter very much. But the little pale woman is terribly in earnest, though her earn- ■ * ■. i 1 i ■ , i —i^—■ WOMANS WORK’ IF. TRUE WEALTH IS IN THE HUMAN HEART, THE IMMORTAL SOUL. ATHENS, GEORGIA, JANUARY, 1909 estness has gradually become the desperation of one who is conscious of fighting a losing battle. One real success would thrill her with a transforming joy. Like an elixir it would enter her veins, and the heart and brain would feel its power. With sinking spirits she finishes her story and sends it away, while at the same time, with a light heart and clear brain, the other woman finishes and sends another. The two manuscripts, fellow-travelers, reach the same great publishing house at the same time, and in their turn are read— the one immediately after the other. The name of the pale, unfortunate woman is Etta Louise Wilson; the name of the other is Ella Langdon Wilson. They do not know of each other's existence, for each belongs to a different hall of the world of which the other half is ignorant. The status of neither is known to the man who reads the manuscripts. He does not care to know such things. The story by Etta L. Wilson is read first. It is strong and well written, but —. He takes up the next manuscript without passing final judgment. About this there is no hesitation. It has a freshness that the other lacks, and there is a lightness of touch about it that is very pleasing. He lays it aside to be used, and returns the first to its writer. It is seldom that mistakes occur in well-ordered business houses. The very doing of a large amount of work serves to train the faculties of the mind and to make them quick and sure. But errors will some times creep into any man’s work, and the man who presides over the destinies of these two manuscripts makes a mistake to-day. He sends the letter of acceptance to Etta L- Wilson, and the rejected manuscript of Etta L. Wilson, with its printed rejection slip, to Ella L Wilson. When Etta L. Wilson receives the letter of acceptance she bursts into a flood of joyful tears and thanks God. “It has come at last!’’ she cries, “success! Now 1 shall begin to live!’’ Ella L Wilson tosses her heavy letter into her de->k without tak ing the trouble to open it. “I might have known better,’’ she says, half pla\ fully, half sarcastically. “Nobody succeeds with the first manuscript Literary celebrities always write and burn for ten years before anything is accepted!’’ Several days later Ella L- Wilson comes across the heavy letter in her desk. It is still unopened. She draws it forth and views it reminiscently. “I suspect I was really a little vexed, and perhaps more than a little disappointed to see you back,’’ she observes, “but I’m in a delightfully amiable mood just now, and I am going to take another look at you before I burn you! ’ As she speaks she opens the letter and discovers, not her own story but the patiently elaborated work of Etta L. Wilson. Her first impulse is to return the manuscript to the editor w : th a note inquiring for her own story. But the address of Etta L. Wilson is staring at her from the top of the first sheet, and there seems no good reason why she should trouble the editor. “Etta L Wilson has mine and 1 have hers,’’ she thinks. “O that stupid editor! I’ll never again believe that editors are clever people!’’ And the manuscript, with a note, is mailed to Etta L Wilson without further thought, while at the same hour Etta L Wilson is adding the last touches to another story, a story written straight from her glowing heart —the first fruit of the gladness and strength that her success has brought her. The next morning’s mail brings to Etta L- Wilson her rejected manuscript. She stares at it in amazement, but the well-bred frank ness of the note that accompanies it leaves her no room for doubt. The letter of acceptance was not meant for her. A strange sickness of heart seizes her. The letter that has been like wine she encloses in the self addressed envelope before her, and without a word sends it to Ella L Wilson. But —and herein lies the sequel which shows the power of hope the story that was finished on the previous day was accepted in due time by the same great publishing house And its acceptance was not through any mistake! I ’ z ■ .1 * . —““"■****>* nil I 11111 II 1111111 AvDIII 111 c iig i l _ “I ►(g) 1 I .in unu [iiiiic | KATE QARLAND, Editress. Price 10 cts- $1 per Year.