The MS. in a Red Box

THE MS. IN A RED BOX
LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY
Cheap Edition
BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. LTD., LONDON
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED TO ITS UNKNOWN AUTHOR BY THE PUBLISHER
ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S NOTE
One day in April last a parcel was sent to the Bodley Head. On being opened it was found to contain a MS. in a red box, without any accompanying letter, without title, author's name, or address. For some days it was not entered in the book of the firm kept for the purpose of registering the receipt of MSS.; but, as no letter was received, towards the end of the month it was recorded in pencil as follows: The MS. in a Red Box. According to the usual course it was then sent to the publisher's reader, who reported on it with enthusiasm; meanwhile there had been no inquiry from the author, and the publisher read it for himself, and fully endorsed the opinion of his literary adviser. After some discussion, the following advertisement was inserted in the pages of The Athenæum and The Academy :—
TO AUTHORS.
NOTICE.—If the Writer of a Historical Novel, without Title, Author's Name, or Address, sent some weeks ago to the Bodley Head in a Red Box, will communicate with the Publisher, he will hear of something to his advantage.
JOHN LANE. Vigo Street, London, W.
This gave rise to much comment in the press, and of course brought several applications from authors of MSS. which had gone astray.
The publisher learnt, to his bewilderment, that MSS. of novels have a tendency to wander irresponsibly in space, somewhat after the fashion of comets.