Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

640 by Loring Brent; ‘The Golden Cat,” by George F. Worts, and “The Duke of Chimney Butte.” Most all of the short stories were good. Some readers suggest that you take our favorite weekly and make a semi-monthly out of it. Don’t do it. Perhaps this reader cannot keep up with the stories, but the rest of us can. The Log-Book is fine, too. About the most interesting part of the magazine, I think. I never fail to read the letters. Here it seems that all of the readers get together. Lots of friends are made here. I can say that I, at least, found a good friend through the Log-Book. F, Curer Lone EAGLE. FINDS VARIETY IN SELTZER’S STORIES Springfield, Ohio. I have been reading THe Arcosy for about two years, and think it is fine. Charles Alden Seltzer is, in my opinion, your best writer. The author of “The Duke of Chimney Butte” is a good writer. I just wonder what kind of a magazine THe Arcosy would be if that “ Morris” was editor. He just makes me tired. He talked about people not kicking about stories, but to tell the truth he put “kicks” enough in his one letter to last a hundred years. I can’t see where Seltzer’s stories are all alike. Every one is the best there is. If Mr. Morris doesn’t like his stories, why does he read them? Your Western stories are fine. So give us some more of them. “ Drag Harlan” is great. I think ‘‘ Forbidden Trails,” “ Beau Rand,” “Cold Steel,” ‘ Sultan of Marib,” and “ Square Deal Sanderson ” are fine. I did not get to read the latter story, but I have seen it in motion-pictures with my favorite star, William S. Hart, and it is fine. 7 NELLIE BAINTER. SELTZER, HOPKINS AND WORTZ 7 Spokane, Washington. Thought it was time you heard more from me, and that you might care to know what I think of Tue Arcosy stuff to date. Well, I'll say it’s great, “Drag Harlan” is going “over the top” in a way that ought to make Chuck Seltzer push out his chest in pride. Persons here who saw “ Square Deal Sanderson” in the movies claim that if the dramatization of this latest novel is as good as the yarn itself, there will be a case of S. R. O. In my own opinion, you said a lungful when you said this was Chuck’s latest and best. It 1s! “Skack of the Everglades” starts with a snap and vim that grips the reader with the first line. I recall having spoken several disagreeable things about Hopkins’s yarns of a few years back, but here’s where I take my helmet off to him, with the hope that his blessed old soul in heaven will forgive me for what I sincerely believed as the truth. It is a queer fact, then, that his very last story should be the best he has ever written, which is gurgling a whole lot when one remembers ‘“ The Road to Trouble,” and ‘ Hoodoo Ranch.” “ V7oolies on the Brain”’ brings a chuckle among the American Legion boys here at the mere men- tion of the title. Instead of saying that some one has a “pipe dream,” they simply grunt: “ Wooltes on the brain, that’s all.” One well-known chap went to the bulletin-board and wrote this: “ Cooties eat you while you sleep; but the lowest THE ARGOSY. thing I know is sheep.” man or cattleman? I got the number beginning the erstwhile Loring Brent’s “ Golden Cat,” and have recommended it to all those who want a red-blooded, thrilling, odd and mysterious yarn of unknown regions. Many of the bunch have read the “ Peter the Brazen” novelettes while in France, and at the announce- ment of a new one they simply—oh, what’s the use o’ talkin’? 3 What do you think about running an around the world adventure series? I’m mentioning the fact that it ought to go good. Bertram Lebhar could do it muy bueno; he, or else George Worts, I'm following THe Arcosy right along, and, be- lieve me, I'll shore boost it. So-long until next time. WILLIAM RAND LOESCHER. (Recently Battery D, 335th F, A., A. E. F.) HAVING IT OUT WITH “A SOLDIER ” Birmingham, Alabama. Have read this book for sever” years, when I could get it, and this is the first time I have ever been forced to open up in any of the arguments going on in our Log-Book, But now I] have a lot to say. - In the Log of December 20 comes one from a party who signs himself “A Soldier,” and men- tions the regular army. I wonder, my friend- soldier, if you ever were within a mile of a com- pany of regulars. I have not had eighteen years’ service; I have not held the Aigh rank of top- kicker, but I have had four and a half years of service, and have been everything from K. P. to Sergeant, and in all that time I have seen very few men that I would mind my sister writing to while they were facing death for her. 1 would have considered it a very small thing for her to let them know that she and millions of others like her were trying to help them on with a kind word and a warm pair of socks. I wonder if you went over, and if so, did you ever get that letter from mother, dad, ‘or little sister. They were so proud of their big boy, way out there fighting for them, and the rest of the world. And that letter bucked you up. It put more courage in you, and then you read it to your bunkie, and when you looked at him after you were through you saw him looking the other way. You thought he had not been very inter- ested in your letter, but he had; he had heard every word, and would remember it a long time. He had been over there a long time, and had probably got three or four cards from the Red Cross. Didn’t have much to buck him up, did he? Still, he was a fine fellow. _Do you think it would have been wrong for little sis to drop him a line, or one of her girl friends? And there were hundreds of others, with death just a yard out there, and he went to meet it lonesome. My sister corresponded with three over there, and I was proud of it, and was| proud of them, because I read a number of their letters after I came home, and I believe they were better and stronger men for receiving her little notes. I have read Tue Arcosy and no other for a long time, and this is my first offense on the Log- book; but the Girl of the Golden West, Monroe Jones, and A Soldier get my nanny. R. RANDSOME, I wonder is he a sheep- 4 (C(O) JOO S (CC)