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Show HOW EDWIN MABKHAM SUPPBESSED A BOOK Recently a man called at the Staten Island home of Edwin Markham, author au-thor of "The Man With the Hoe," and Introduced himself as the writer of a book, on which, he said, he. had spent twenty-five years of study and research. re-search. Mr. Markham, who Is unusually unusual-ly kind In listening to and ' counseling amateur authors. Immediately felt that one who has spent a quarter of a century cen-tury on his product It rare, and he Invited In-vited him to his study without delay. "What Is the nature of your work?" asked Mr. Markham. "I have written the greatest book of the ages." began the new author; "I have solved thi Mystery of the world. I know all about It I am prepared to prove my statements. I know Just why the world was made, who really made-It made-It and I have laid bare the mysteries of creation. I" "My good man." said Mr. Markham, Interrupting him, "if you have come to me for advice, let me tell you to take f our manuscript at once and burn it f you have solved the mystery of this world,' you are its greatest enemy. Why," continued the poet If you have solved the mystery of this world you have robbed men of their greatest Joy. You have left us nothing to work for, you have destroyed our ambition, you have reduced ua to mere animals. It Is the mysteries of the world thai have made It great, and I, for one, don't want to have them solved." Mr. Markham's visitor aat dumfound-ed dumfound-ed for a moment The vision (ft his twenty-Bve years of labor flitted before him.-and he said: - 1 guess you're right I guess you're right." Success. |