Page:Weird Tales Volume 5 Number 4 (1925-04).djvu/166

 something different, let them buy that kind of magazine, for goodness knows there are enough others on the market."

will remain what its name implies, and print gooseflesh stories; tales of the supernatural: tales of the bizarre and unusual; tales of the monstrosities of ancient legend—ghouls, ghosts, familiars, vampires, werewolves, witchcraft, devil-worship; occult and mystic tales; unusual tales of crime: tales of horror such as made the fame of Poe; tales of the marvelous possibilities of inventive genius and scientific research; tales of the outer spaces of the universe; tales that plumb the future with the eye of prophecy; and tales of thrills and mystery, as well as good romantic and humorous tales with a weird slant. And we will print these tales for their value as stories, regardless of whether their authors are famous or not. plays no favorites; and it means more to us to discover a new author who can write thrilling tales than to print a merely "good" tale by the most celebrated author in the world. The story is the thing, and not the name of the author.

The readers' favorite story in the February issue of was Whispering Tunnels, by Stephen Bagby; and not far behind it in popularity was The Statement of Randolph Carter, by H. P. Lovecraft.

Lieutenant Arthur J. Burks, the genial author of the series of Strange Tales From Santo Domingo, was so fascinated by Mr. Bagby's story that he hauled out his trusty typewriter and wrote a letter to the editor about it. Says the lieutenant: "The January issue was better, but I have this to say about the February issue: Whispering Tunnels is the first story that ever kept me awake after I had hit the hay. The writing might not have been the best in the world, but I'll wager the story as a whole will register away out in the lead in your popularity voting contest. I am voting this time—for Whispering Tunnels."

On the other hand. H. P. Tead, of Decatur, Illinois, writes: "In the February issue The Statement of Randolph Carter, by H. P. Lovecraft, so far outshines all the other stories that there is simply no comparison whatever. The author may well be proud of this. It is worthy of Poe, the master, and if it had been printed as one of his hitherto unpublished tales, I doubt if anyone could have told the difference."

Howard Anderson (we have mislaid the envelope telling what city he is from) votes for Mr. Lovecraft's story, but adds: "He should go further into the story and explain the mystery." The very thing that Mr. Anderson thinks is a defect is praised by another reader, Ward Motz, who writes: "The best of this was that Mr. Lovecraft left something to the imagination. I believe that is one failing in most stories: they go too far. Personally I would rather have a little left for my imagination." Mr. Motz adds, regarding David Baxter's snake story, The Brown Moccasin, in the same issue: "Never since the death of F. St. Mars have I read a better story of natural life, and not only the story, but the style. Let's have more of his stories."

William A. P. White, of San Rafael, California, writes: "I wish to commend very much the policy of your magazine. Please get more stories by Ramòn de las Cuevas, Stephen Bagby, and the author of Invaders From Outside."

George W. Booth, of Milwaukie, Oregon, takes issue with the remarks of a reader who (in The Eyrie) asked that we cease publishing necrophilic stories. Mr. Booth writes: "I think it would be very bad indeed for