Maiden Offering .sx Short Story by MAVIS FOREMAN .sx She supported the dying hero's head in her lap .sx " Have no fear , we shall meet again " he murmured .sx Belinda smiled through her tears for she too believed that true love reaches beyond the grave .sx The End .sx I wrote with a flourish , the tears coursing down my cheeks as I looked up triumphantly into my dressing table mirror .sx I am fifteen and have just completed my first real story .sx I have written it all sitting like this before my mirror apeing every expression of my hero and heroine , sharing their every joy and weeping at their many sorrows .sx It is such a sad story I cannot stop crying , so it must be good .sx A story has to be sad and very mature and frank to succeed these days and I feel that mine is quite fearless .sx In a way the heroine is myself and the hero , Ben , is the boy I am rather keen about although he doesn't take much notice of me .sx Of course he is quite a bit older , nearly twenty I believe .sx My story has two thousand and one words .sx I know because I have counted every word- two thousand and one !sx Now I must dry my eyes and go and tell someone about it .sx I am so excited I just cannot stop crying .sx It is reaction after all my effort .sx It is now two days since I finished " Death at Sundown " and I am not quite so happy about it although I still believe in it and in myself .sx But everyone has pulled it to pieces and I feel the heart has gone out of it .sx I think I shall do what Grandpa advised .sx . When I first broke the news to the family they were all very thrilled and Mother said I must read it to them as soon as we'd finished supper .sx My young brother , Billy , was rather fed up as he did not want to miss his serial on the Radio and Father did not seem all that keen either .sx Mother , I could tell , was really interested and so was Grandpa .sx He did not say much but he kept looking at me and nodding his head .sx During the meal Billy kept trying to find out what it was about .sx " Is it rip-roaring ?sx " he said .sx " You'll have to wait and see .sx It will spoil it if I tell you .sx " My Father looked at me then .sx " I didn't know you were a writer , Julia " he said .sx Grandpa chortled .sx " Takes after me- stories by the dozen once and a " .sx " Really , " , I breathed .sx " How many words ?sx " " Oh , fifty or sixty thousand , I can't remember .sx " " Golly !sx " I said .sx " How many has yours ?sx " said Billy .sx " Two thousand and one .sx " Everyone looked impressed and Mother said proudly , " Julia's going to be clever .sx I had a letter published once myself in some woman's magazine , I forget which one .sx A household hint it was , something to do with pegs .sx " " Pegs !sx " said Grandpa .sx " Did you say pegs ?sx " " Yes , pegs " said my Mother crossly .sx " It was quite a good washday hint .sx I can't remember just what now , it was a long time ago .sx I got ten and sixpence for it though .sx It was the time we were trying to get enough together to send you to that good school , " she added reminiscently to me .sx " How much will Julia get for hers ?sx " Billy said .sx " They pay quite a bit for a really good story , " Grandpa cut in .sx Billy looked interested .sx " Enough to buy a record player ?sx " " Hm .sx It would have to be pretty good to get that much , " Grandpa said .sx By this time they were all intrigued .sx Even Father seemed quite keen to hear it .sx So , after supper , we all settled round the fire while I read the tale out to them with much dramatic feeling and , once again , there were tears in my eyes when I came to the sad ending , but this time I managed to keep them from tumbling down my cheeks .sx There was quite a moment's silence when I finished and I took it that all their hearts were too full to speak .sx Then they all said together , " Yes , it's good , very good , " and Grandpa added , " A stout effort .sx " Only Billy remained quiet and when I looked at him pointedly he said .sx " It's a bit like that silly film we saw last week with that smashing cowboy one .sx " " You are too young to appreciate it , " I said haughtily .sx " It is written for grown ups , not boys of nine and a half .sx " " They seem to spend a lot of time making passionate love , " Billy said .sx Mother coughed .sx " Yes , I thought perhaps that was rather .sx . " she tailed off lamely .sx " Oh , but Mother " I flared , " everything has to be like that now or it doesn't have a chance- risque@2 , they call it .sx " Father grunted .sx " I should have thought they would have caught their deaths of cold lying about in the snow like that " he said .sx " Oh , but it wasn't snowing then .sx " " But it was the day he was killed .sx You said something about his 'red blood on the white snow' .sx " " Oh , yes , " I said , " but that was another day .sx " I was beginning to feel cross now and slightly disheartened .sx There was a further silence ; then Father said , " I'm afraid there are several bits regarding the Army that just would not happen- " Grandpa cut in quickly , " That doesn't matter in a story .sx One doesn't expect one hundred per cent accuracy .sx If it's a good tale you can get away with that .sx " " In one bit you said she was a beautiful maiden of twenty and then later you say she has a squint , " Billy said .sx I glared at him furiously .sx " I said no such thing .sx " " Well , cross-eyed is the same .sx " " I said wide-eyed .sx All innocent maidens are wide-eyed .sx " " She didn't really behave like an innocent maiden , " said my Mother mildly .sx Suddenly , I had had enough and with a gulp I jumped up and ran from the room , my story clasped to my breast .sx The tears came angrily to my eyes again as I slammed my bedroom door .sx Why couldn't they have left it alone , saying they liked it and then pulling it to pieces .sx Now , it would not seem right to me .sx Maybe I should alter it to fit in with their criticisms .sx Then Grandpa came in .sx He did not knock as he usually does , just walked straight in .sx He went to the window and stared out not looking at me and not saying a word .sx I gazed at his dear old back in the shabby , tweed suit and the funny little bald patch peeping from around the white tufts , a bit like a poached egg I thought irrelevantly , and said sadly , " I'm going to alter it the way they suggested .sx " Grandpa flew round then his old face shining and red .sx " You do no such thing , " he said .sx " It wouldn't be your story any more .sx Leave it be child .sx It's your very own creation .sx It's fair enough .sx You'll do better , but it's fair enough for a start .sx You may use my typewriter to type it out if you like .sx " My heart was too full for words .sx This was indeed an honour !sx So I typed my story on Grandpa's typewriter .sx It is a very old typewriter and some of the keys are rather crooked .sx I can only type very slowly as I am quite a beginner so it took me a long time .sx I am afraid there were a few mistakes but I altered them all in red ink and Grandpa says it doesn't matter how badly a story is typed ; if it has real merit it will sell .sx It was a wonderful moment when I pushed the paper clip into the pages and folded it into a foolscap envelope .sx I put another in with my name and address on it just in case .sx But , oh , I am sure it will be published .sx It's just got to be .sx . For several days I have been walking on air imagining my story printed in the magazine- DEATH AT SUNDOWN .sx By Julia Lane .sx Then this morning I heard the plump of the letters on the mat and somehow I knew immediately that this was my moment .sx I raced out into the hall but , quick as I was , Grandpa was before me .sx He was straightening up and there was a long , foolscap envelope in his hand .sx I could see my own writing on it .sx " Shall we go to your room ?sx " Grandpa said very quietly .sx I followed him with an aching heart ; all the life seemed to have drained out of me .sx Grandpa sat down slowly on the bed .sx " I'm afraid it's a return , " he said .sx I bit my lip miserably and nodded .sx " You mustn't mind too much , " Grandpa said .sx " Even the most famous writers started like this , some have years and years of frustration before they make the grade .sx Some never do , " he added under his breath .sx " Shall I open it ?sx " I nodded dumbly and he slit the envelope .sx Yes , there it was , my beautiful story and the paper clip had gone .sx I threw myself on to the pillows beside Grandpa and sobbed my heart out .sx He let me cry for a little then tugged me upright and handed me his handkerchief .sx " Blow , " he commanded .sx I did so and felt better .sx " You mustn't let this beat you , " he said .sx " Try again , write something better .sx One day you will go to the door and there will be a little envelope with a publisher's name on it ; in that moment , you will feel it was all worth while .sx And look , " he opened up my story , " your very first rejection slip .sx " I took it from him and read , THE EDITOR THANKS YOU FOR SUBMITTING THE ENCLOSED MS BUT REGRETS HE IS UNABLE TO USE IT .sx " He thanked me , " I said in wonder , " that was nice .sx " Grandpa nodded thoughtfully .sx " Keep it , " he said .sx " One day you may be able to laugh at it .sx " Up the Elephant .sx Short story by ROY BOARDMAN .sx AFTER tea Mum and Dad gave me the look they always gave me after our first meal when I returned to London at the end of the college term .sx They knew I was going out for the evening .sx Action and conversation followed the usual pattern .sx I yawned , surveyed the cramped room- the littered table , two armchairs , old football pools and bills stuffed behind the alarm clock , the dominating television screen- and said , " Oh , well , I'd better go and let everyone know I'm back .sx " " Where you goin' , son ?sx " asked Mum .sx " Up the Elephant , I think .sx " " You look after yourself , son , " said Dad lighting one of his hand-rolled cigarettes and leaning back in his chair , his striped braces straining over his striped shirt .sx " You know what the Elephant and Castle's like .sx Mind you don't get up to nothing .sx " " I might go and see Pete .sx " Pete was the " nice young man " Mum approved of .sx We had been contemporaries at the local secondary school until I had gone to college , he into Local Government , " He's a nice young man , " said Mum hoping to begin a conversation .sx But I had my jacket on and my hand was on the doorknob .sx " Well , see you later .sx " " Nice of you to 'ave dropped in , " said Dad with terrible sarcasm .sx " Come again sometime .sx " I heard the knob of the telly click as I went down the stairs , and when I reached the front door a blast of music hit me in the back .sx It was twilight .sx The street was deserted and there were few lights in the windows of the two regular lines of houses that enclosed me .sx It was telly time for everyone .sx A few knife-edges of light slit the shrouded sky .sx I stood on the doorstep a while watching it , trying to decide where to go .sx A visit to Pete certainly didn't attract me , the conversation would die too quickly .sx But I wanted to talk to someone .sx Every time I returned from college I felt the need to meet people I used to know , to see the life I had known , to re-evaluate and see if I could feel some of the old desires .sx