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I am sorry to hear that it has not proved effectual in putting a stop
to the abuse of a deserving class of men。 It ought to have done it；
it was well conceived； and its public manifesto was a masterpiece。
（I saw by his expression that he was its author。）
〃'I see I can trust you；' he said。 'I will unbosom myself freely of
some of the grievances attaching to the position of the individual to
whom you have applied the term 〃Literary Celebrity。〃
〃'He is supposed to be a millionaire； in virtue of the immense sales
of his books； all the money from which； it is taken for granted； goes
into his pocket。 Consequently； all subscription papers are handed to
him for his signature； and every needy stranger who has heard his
name comes to him for assistance。
〃'He is expected to subscribe for all periodicals； and is goaded by
receiving blank formulae； which； with their promises to pay； he is
expected to fill up。
〃'He receives two or three books daily； with requests to read and
give his opinion about each of them； which opinion； if it has a word
which can be used as an advertisement； he will find quoted in all the
newspapers。
〃'He receives thick masses of manuscript； prose and verse； which he
is called upon to examine and pronounce on their merits； these
manuscripts having almost invariably been rejected by the editors to
whom they have been sent； and having as a rule no literary value
whatever。
〃'He is expected to sign petitions； to contribute to journals； to
write for fairs； to attend celebrations； to make after…dinner
speeches； to send money for objects he does not believe in to places
he never heard of。
〃'He is called on to keep up correspondences with unknown admirers；
who begin by saying they have no claim upon his time； and then
appropriate it by writing page after page； if of the male sex； and
sheet after sheet； if of the other。
〃'If a poet； it is taken for granted that he can sit down at any
moment and spin off any number of verses on any subject which may be
suggested to him； such as congratulations to the writer's great…
grandmother on her reaching her hundredth year； an elegy on an infant
aged six weeks； an ode for the Fourth of July in a Western township
not to be found in Lippincott's last edition； perhaps a valentine for
some bucolic lover who believes that wooing in rhyme is the way to
win the object of his affections。'
〃Is n't it so？ I asked the Celebrity。
〃'I would bet on the prose lover。 She will show the verses to him；
and they will both have a good laugh over them。'
〃I have only reported a small part of the conversation I had with the
Literary Celebrity。 He was so much taken up with his pleasing self…
contemplation； while I made him air his opinions and feelings and
spread his characteristics as his laundress spreads and airs his
linen on the clothes…line； that I don't believe it ever occurred to
him that he had been in the hands of an interviewer until he found
himself exposed to the wind and sunshine in full dimensions in the
columns of The People's Perennial and Household Inquisitor。'〃
After the reading of this paper； much curiosity was shown as to who
the person spoken of as the 〃Literary Celebrity〃 might be。 Among the
various suppositions the startling idea was suggested that he was
neither more nor less than the unexplained personage known in the
village as Maurice Kirkwood。 Why should that be his real name？ Why
should not he be the Celebrity； who had taken this name and fled to
this retreat to escape from the persecutions of kind friends； who
were pricking him and stabbing him nigh to death with their daggers
of sugar candy？
The Secretary of the Pansophian Society determined to question the
Interviewer the next time she met him at the Library； which happened
soon after the meeting when his paper was read。
〃I do not know；〃 she said； in the course of a conversation in which
she had spoken warmly of his contribution to the literary
entertainment of the Society； 〃that you mentioned the name of the
Literary Celebrity whom you interviewed so successfully。〃
〃I did not mention him； Miss Vincent；〃 he answered； 〃nor do I think
it worth while to name him。 He might not care to have the whole
story told of how he was handled so as to make him communicative。
Besides； if I did； it would bring him a new batch of sympathetic
letters； regretting that he was bothered by those horrid
correspondents； full of indignation at the bores who presumed to
intrude upon him with their pages of trash； all the writers of which
would expect answers to their letters of condolence。〃
The Secretary asked the Interviewer if he knew the young gentleman
who called himself Maurice Kirkwood。
〃What；〃 he answered； 〃the man that paddles a birch canoe； and rides
all the wild horses of the neighborhood？ No； I don't know him； but I
have met him once or twice； out walking。 A mighty shy fellow； they
tell me。 Do you know anything particular about him？〃
〃Not much。 None of us do； but we should like to。 The story is that
be has a queer antipathy to something or to somebody； nobody knows
what or whom。〃
〃To newspaper correspondents； perhaps；〃 said the interviewer。 〃What
made you ask me about him？ You did n't think he was my 'Literary
Celebrity；' did you？〃
〃I did not know。 I thought he might be。 Why don't you interview
this mysterious personage？ He would make a good sensation for your
paper； I should think。〃
〃Why； what is there to be interviewed in him？ Is there any story of
crime； or anything else to spice a column or so； or even a few
paragraphs； with？ If there is； I am willing to handle him
professionally。〃
〃I told you he has what they call an antipathy。 I don't know how
much wiser you are for that piece of information。〃
〃An antipathy！ Why； so have I an antipathy。 I hate a spider； and as
for a naked caterpillar；I believe I should go into a fit if I had
to touch one。 I know I turn pale at the sight of some of those great
green caterpillars that come down from the elm…trees in August and
early autumn。〃
〃Afraid of them？〃 asked the young lady。
〃Afraid？ What should I be afraid of？ They can't bite or sting。 I
can't give any reason。 All I know is that when I come across one of
these creatures in my path I jump to one side； and cry out；
sometimes using very improper words。 The fact is； they make me crazy
for the moment。〃
〃I understand what you mean；〃 said Miss Vincent。 〃I used to have the
same feeling about spiders； but I was ashamed of it； and kept a
little menagerie of spiders until I had got over the feeling； that
is； pretty much got over it； for I don't love the creatures very
dearly； though I don't scream when I see one。〃
〃What did you tell me； Miss Vincent； was this fellow's particular
antipathy？〃
That is just the question。 I told you that we don't know and we
can't guess what it is。 The people here are tired out with trying to
discover some good reason for the young man's keeping out of the way
of everybody； as he does。 They say he is odd or crazy； and they
don't seem to be able to tell which。 It would make the old ladies of
the village sleep a great deal sounder；yes； and some of the young
ladies； too；if they could find out what this Mr。 Kirkwood has got
into his head； that he never comes near any of the people here。〃
〃I think I can find out；〃 said the Interviewer； whose professional
ambition was beginning to be excited。 〃I never came across anybody
yet that I could n't get something out of。 I am going to stay here a
week or two； and before I go I will find out the secret； if there is
any； of this Mr。 Maurice Kirkwood。〃
We must leave the Interviewer to his contrivances until they present
us with some kind of result； either in the shape of success or
failure。
XI
THE INTERVIEWER ATTACKS THE SPHINX。
When Miss Euthymia Tower sent her oar off in flashing splinters； as
she pulled her last stroke in the boat…race； she did not know what a
strain she was putting upon it。 She did know that she was doing her
best； but how great the force of her best was she was not aware until
she saw its effects。 Unconsciousness belonged to her robust nature；
in all its manifestations。 She did not pride herself on her
knowledge； nor reproach herself for her ignorance。 In every way she
formed a striking contrast to her friend； Miss Vincent。 Every word
they spoke betrayed the difference between them： the sharp tones of
Lurida's head…voice； penetrative； aggressive； sometimes irritating；
revealed the corresponding traits of mental and moral character； the
quiet； conversational contralto of Euthymia was the index of a nature
restful and sympathetic。
The friendships of young girls prefigure the closer relations which
will one day come in and dissolve their earlier intimacies。 The
depende