Whenever Mr. Stockton came into the
office Bok pumped him dry as to his experiences with the story, such as
when, at a dinner party, his hostess served an ice-cream lady and a
tiger to the author, and the whole company watched which he chose.
"And which did you choose?" asked the advertising director.
"_Et tu, Brute?_" Stockton smilingly replied. "Well, I'll tell you. I
asked the butler to bring me another spoon, and then, with a spoon in
each hand, I attacked both the lady and the tiger at the same time."
Once, when Stockton was going to Boston by the night boat, every room
was taken. The ticket agent recognized the author, and promised to get
him a desirable room if the author would tell which he had had in mind,
the lady or the tiger.
"Produce the room," answered Stockton.
The man did. Stockton paid for it, and then said:
"To tell you the truth, my friend, I don't know."
And that was the truth, as Mr. Stockton confessed to his friends. The
idea of the story had fascinated him; when he began it he purposed to
give it a definite ending.
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