THERE was once a man who lived in a valley—a pretty valley, but there was no creek in
it, and the man was lonely for the sound of running water. Then the man said:
"I shall go up to the top of the
hill and dig a well and draw water therefrom and pour it onto the hillside so it will run down and form a creek in my
valley."
And he did so.
Very soon a little stream went leaping and shouting down the hill, and clapped
its hands at sight of the pretty valley and crooned, softly, to itself.
The man saw and heard and was greatly
pleased. Then he said: "Now, I shall go down into my valley and enjoy the rivulet I have made."
And he went
down. When he had descended and stood in the valley the stream had disappeared.
He forgot, you see, that the
stream was of his making, and could last only while he drew water from the well and poured it out onto the
hillside.
You say he was a very foolish man.
No doubt. Still, you must know many very foolish men who
conduct their business with no more wisdom than the man in the valley showed in making a creek.
Don't you know
men who started their business with a rush, gained a certain speed, and then sat back to hear things
hum?
Generally they fall asleep and awaken to find there is no stream flowing through the valley.
The
editors of Live Stories know nothing of any business, except the making of a magazine.
Maybe, they don't know
much about that.
One thing, however, they know:
If the stream is to go on running delightfully through
the valley, the water must, forever and ceaselessly, be drawn from the well and poured out on the
hillside.
This, at least, the editors of Live Stories know. It is to this they are bending every effort and
giving constant attention.
They are not satisfied. They will never be satisfied.
The last word is so
difficult to reach! The last word? Silently, steadily, it removes itself farther and farther as the weary pursuit goes
on.
But you, they want to please. They want, at least, with each issue, to come nearer to pleasing
you.
In this task, they need your aid.
You must tell them the whys and the wherefores.
Will
you?
Just a word about what you like or don't like and why? Remember, out of the deep well of your
understanding, the editors draw their inspiration. Let's keep that little stream going down into the valley of your mutual
delight.