Later on he wrote that he had been made a corporal and his grandmother, to whom a major general and a corporal were of equal rank, rejoiced much both at home and in church after meeting was over and friends came to hear the news.Mrs.Ellis declared herself not surprised.It was the Robert Penfold in him coming out, so she said.
A month or two later one of Albert's letters contained an interesting item of news.In the little spare time which military life afforded him he continued to write verse and stories.Now a New York publisher, not one of the most prominent but a reputable and enterprising one, had written him suggesting the collecting of his poems and their publication in book form.The poet himself was, naturally, elated.
"Isn't it splendid!" he wrote."The best part of it, of course, is that he asked to publish, I did not ask him.Please send me my scrapbook and all loose manuscript.When the book will come out I'm sure I don't know.In fact it may never come out, we have not gotten as far as terms and contracts yet, but I feel we shall.
Send the scrapbook and manuscript right away, PLEASE."They were sent.In his next letter Albert was still enthusiastic.
"I have been looking over my stuff," he wrote, "and some of it is pretty good, if you don't mind my saying so.Tell Grandfather that when this book of mine is out and selling I may be able to show him that poetry making isn't a pauper's job, after all.Of course Idon't know how much it will sell--perhaps not more than five or ten thousand at first--but even at ten thousand at, say, twenty-five cents royalty each, would be twenty-five hundred dollars, and that's something.Why, Ben Hur, the novel, you know, has sold a million, I believe."Mrs.Snow and Rachel were duly impressed by this prophecy of affluence, but Captain Zelotes still played the skeptic.
"A million at twenty-five cents a piece!" exclaimed Olive."Why, Zelotes, that's--that's an awful sight of money."Mental arithmetic failing her, she set to work with a pencil and paper and after a strenuous struggle triumphantly announced that it came to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
"My soul and body!" she cried."Two hundred and fifty thousand DOLLARS! My SOUL, Zelotes! Suppose--only suppose Albert's book brought him in as much as that!"Her husband shook his head."I can't, Olive," he said, without looking up from his newspaper."My supposer wouldn't stand the strain.""But it might, Zelotes, it MIGHT.Suppose it did, what would you say then?"The captain regarded her over the top of the Transcript."Ishouldn't say a word, Olive," he answered, solemnly."I should be down sick by the time it got up as far as a thousand, and anything past two thousand you could use to buy my tombstone with....
There, there, Mother," he added, noticing the hurt look on her face, "don't feel bad.I'm only jokin'.One of these days Al's goin' to make a nice, comf'table livin' sellin' lumber and hardware right here in South Harniss.I can SEE that money in the offin'.
All this million or two that's comin' from poetry and such is out of sight in the fog.It may be there but--humph! well, I KNOWwhere Z.Snow and Co.is located."
Olive was not entirely placated."I must say I think you're awful discouragin' to the poor boy, Zelotes," she said.Her husband put down his paper.
"No, no, I ain't, Mother," he replied, earnestly."At least Idon't mean to be.Way I look at it, this poetry-makin' and writin'
yarns and that sort of stuff is just part of the youngster's--er--growin' up, as you might say.Give him time he'll grow out of it, same as I cal'late he will out of this girl business, this--er--Madel--humph--er--ahem....Looks like a good day to-morrow, don't it."He pulled up suddenly, and with considerable confusion.He had kept the news of his grandson's infatuation and engagement even from his wife.No one in South Harniss knew of it, no one except the captain.Helen Kendall knew, but she was in Boston.
