Apr. 7, 1917—Rewrites; hero enlists; villain, German spy.
Nov. 13, 1918—Rewrites; denouement, allied entrance into Berlin; heroine, Red Cross nurse.
Nov. 13, 1918—Rewrites; climax, homecoming from overseas.
Aug. 15, 1919—War fiction going stale; goes back to original story, retaining only German villain.
Jan. 1, 1923—Rewrites; takes out German villain.
Apr. 1, 1934—Author in old people's home; sells original story to Cozy Hearth; editor features it as "charming romance of life before the war."
EDITOR (surveying summer landscape)—"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom friend of the maturing sun!"
FRIEND—"But, I say, that was written about autumn, wasn't it?"
EDITOR—"Yes, yes, I know—but you must remember that we always go to press four months in advance!"