Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 183: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“IT don’t care for stories of China, India, or, in fact, of any of the Oriental countries,” said Brown. ‘‘ The subject simply doesn’t appeal to me.” “‘ Hang the subject!’ exclaimed Jones. ‘‘ What difference does it make where the scene is laid or what the story is about, so long as it is interesting?” ‘“‘ But what makes a thing interesting?” Brown wanted to know. “The author,” promptly retorted Jones. ‘“ That’s his business. If he’s any good at it, he should be able to make any theme he touches interesting.” “* Still,” persisted Brown, ‘if I don’t care a rap about rajas or what happens to them, I don’t see that the subject hasn’t a lot to do with whether any particular story hits me.” ‘“‘ Hits you—yes,” burst out Jones. ‘“ That’s just it. We weren’t talking about you, but about stories in general. I, for instance, know a man who’s crazy over every yarn he runs across that begins with a hint of the Ganges or a scent of the cherry- blossoms of Japan. Serials and short stories aren’t written for a class, but for the multitude.” “‘ How are you going to know, though,” rejoined Brown, ‘just how many of the multitude prefer one thing over against another?”’ . “Oh, that’s the editor’s job,” airily answered Jones. And it’s some job, believe me. we 3 2 i were discussing stories. Liquid fire—a cascading, fiery flood of flaming brilliance poured through his. clutching fingers—strange flames that glowed but did not bum, eery lights like will-o’- the-wisps, burning blue in the enveloping darkness with a phosphorescent sheen. This was the secret of Old Tom’s “‘ madness.”’ “BLUE FLAMES” BY ETHEL AND JAMES DORRANCE Authors of “Scalps to the Brave,” etc. is a stirring tale of moonshining from a new angle, of rivalry, of a man’s regeneration despite the aiding of friendship, and of a love which at the end burned clear and steady in the midst of wrack and storm. It is not too much to say that the authors have captured the very spirit of the mountains and of the people. And there is no moon- shine about that. This begins as a six-part serial in THE Arcosy for May ro. ‘EASY GARVIN” BY REX PARSON Author of “The Desert Thrill,” “Southwest of the Law,” etc. our complete novelette for next week, is truly an epic of strtiggle, although the title might lead one to think otherwise. We are accustomed to speak of inanimate steel, 325 CoMmiclooo S Co mM