The Black Cat (magazine)/Volume 22/Number 2

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THE
BLACK CAT

THE SHORT STORY PUBLISHING CO•
SALEM MASS•

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Paragraphs From Our Own Portfolio

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The Fixed Purpose of Our Souls

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Do you remember how the Sunday School Superintendent used to get up along toward the end of the session, just when you were getting hungry, and ask, "What ought to be the fixed purpose of our souls?" And you wished that he wasn't so almighty particular about everybody's soul, including yours, when his own was rather a shriveled-up affair. Besides you were not interested in souls just at that moment. You were getting hungrier every minute. And what business was it of his anyway?

Everybody else stood up and answered, so you did too, without in the least knowing or caring what it was all about.

"What ought to be the fixed purpose of our souls? Huh? Oh, yes—'To be a worker together with God toward so great a good,'" etc. You mumbled along trying to keep up with the rest of the school, but never quite succeeding.

After that, they let you go home—a thoroughly prophylactic Christian, if there ever was one.

That disposes of your youth and brings us down to the present moment and more especially to the business of the present moment, which is to find out what really ought to be the fixed purpose of our souls as literati—or rather your soul.

You are buying The Black Cat every month because you have always liked Black Cat stories. Yet you are a trifle uneasy, a bit critical. You think you would enjoy it a little more, if you could correct the editor's mistakes. In short, you think you should have his job; and he should be—well, you'd hate to tell him just what you think he should be doing for a living.

"If I were the editor," you begin.

"Is that so?" we want to know.

And right there we go to the mat together with the result that The Black Cat Club is formed. It is created for just such people as you because we have a sneaking respect for your likes and dislikes in the way of fiction and want to know how you like The Black Cat and The Thriller and what you know about the magazine business anyway.

So there you are.

Now what ought to be the fixed purpose of your soul? And the answer is—To Be a Worker Together With the Editor.

The Black Cat Club is merely the vehicle designed to make possible such ideal relations between editor and readers. Whether or not it flourishes depends largely upon the fixed purpose of your soul.

For full particulars see the full page advertisement.

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Contents
Cover Design	By Arthur Knapp
The Skagpole Venus	By Stanley Shaw Page	1
A connoisseur of old masters invokes the aid of Hymen in securing the famous "Skagpole Venus" for his art gallery.
A Bull Market in Fiddles	By J. Bernard Lynch Page	11
In which a couple of Bulls break loose in the fiddle market. Prices soar, and Uncle Myer hitches his wagon to a "Strad."
Hazard & O'Chance: Light Comedy	By F. W. Dever Page	28
Highway robbery is a legitimate profession as practiced by these two comedians, who pool their capital in one grand plunge on the good horse, Pat McGlynn. But Pat proves to be one of those flivvers that pass in the night.
Number One on the Sucker List	By G. B. Grant Page	25
Two men match wits to see which is on the side of the intellectuals and which is on the sucker list—and all because of a few letters written by a young lady who had not reached the age of discretion.
Dematerialization	By C. Mason Page	30
It is a simple matter to dematerialize a body by cremation. In this case, a man locks a good, healthy girl in a bank vault for two hours and tries to send her soul into the infinite with the aid of soft music instead of fire.
The Geniuses of the Sun	By Oscar Lewis Page	33
After years in the turmoil of metropolitan journalism, a man goes back to the country paper of his youth in search of a job, a restful atmosphere, and a—girl.
Lost—A Star	By Kenneth Vaux Reed Page	39
A fall from a second story window is generally more or less painful. Certainly there is rarely any romance in it. But then, the girl in this story wasn't looking for romance, she was trying to avoid it.
The Bone of a Camel	By Erich Brandeis Page	48
A good yarn for Amy Lowell and the other verse librists to read. It might be the means of reviving the camel bone school of poets.
The Sculpin	By Le Roy Kenneth Page	53
If a man dies with his boots on, the "obit," men register a few extra sobs on their typewriters. But when a man, just out of the trenches, dies with gloves on, he is likely to be misunderstood—with boots or without them.
ISSUED MONTHLY BY THE SHORTSTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY Salem, Mass. Entered at the Post-Office at Salem, Mass, as second-class matter Copyright, 1916, by The Shortstory Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

THE BLACK CAT CLUB
A CONTEST

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The Black Cat Club is composed of writers, would-be writers and readers; in fact, any one interested in short stories either as a writer or reader, may become a member. The object of the club is to stimulate interest in short stories. There is no membership fee. A coupon is printed below for the convenience of each one desiring to become a member.

The first duties of members consist of reading The Black Cat and submitting to the club a list of the stories in each issue arranged according to their merit with reasons in the fewest number of words possible.

Cash Prizes for Writers and Readers

A Prize of $25 will be awarded to the author of the story which is selected as Best by the largest number of club members.

Prizes of $5.00 each will be awarded to the five members submitting the Best lists and reasons.

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The First Contest comprises the stories in this issue (November) and all lists must be received at the office of The Black Cat, Salem, Mass., before December 1st. Prizes will be awarded December 5th, and result of the contest will be published in the February Black Cat issued January 25th. Address all communications to

THE BLACK CAT, SALEM, MASS.

CUT OUT THIS COUPON AND ATTACH TO YOUR ANSWER

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Date

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THE BLACK CAT CLUB,

Salem, Mass.

Please enroll me as a member of The Black Cat Club.

I have read the November Black Cat and enclose herewith a list of the stories arranged in the order of their merit with my reasons for this arrangement.

Name

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Address

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