THE STORIES EDITORS BUY AND WHY THE STORIES EDITORS BUY AND WHY COMPILED BY JEAN WICK [Illustration] BOSTON SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY PUBLISHERS _Copyright, 1921_ By SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY (Incorporated) PRESS OF GEO. H. ELLIS CO. (INC.) BOSTON TO MAGAZINE EDITORS _Who through constructive helpfulness and creative vision are helping authors to make the American short story unique in artistry and literary merit._ CONTENTS PAGE PREFATORY NOTE ix THE WEEK-END GUEST. By Marie Van Vorst 1 (From _Ainslee’s Magazine_) THE TERRIBLE CHARGE AGAINST JEFF POTTER. By Samuel A. Derieux 27 (From _The American Magazine_) “A SOURCE OF IRRITATION.” By Stacy Aumonier 53 (From _The Century Magazine_) “MOMMA.” By Rupert Hughes 71 (From _Collier’s, The National Weekly_) BACK PAY. By Fannie Hurst 99 (From _Cosmopolitan Magazine_) “CAB, SIR?” By Samuel Hopkins Adams 139 (From _Everybody’s Magazine_) YOU’VE GOT TO BE SELFISH. By Edna Ferber 169 (From _McClure’s Magazine_) “CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN.” By Booth Tarkington 193 (From _Metropolitan Magazine_) THE BELL OF SAINT GREGOIRE. By Agnes Ross White 223 (From _The People’s Home Journal_) THE EVENING RICE. By Achmed Abdullah 239 (From _Pictorial Review_) THE TAKING OF BILLY RAND. By Gordon Young 259 (From _Short Stories_) ACCORDING TO RUSKIN. By Harriet Welles 279 (From _The Woman’s Home Companion_) THE CRYSTAL FLASK. By Paul Rosenwey 293 (From _Young’s Magazine_) * * * * * WHY THE EDITORS BUY 305 FOOTNOTES TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES PREFATORY NOTE