The Episode of the Live Weekly

"The Episode of the Live Weekly" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse and C. H. Bovill, which first appeared in the United Kingdom in the July 1914 issue of the "Strand", and in the United States in the August 1916 "Pictorial Review". It was published in book form in the collection "A Man of Means" in 1991.

It is the fourth of six stories to feature Roland Bleke, a young man for whom financial success is always a mixed blessing.

Plot summary

Roland Bleke, his wealth further increase following the outcome of "The Episode of the Theatrical Venture", sees a pretty young girl crying in the park. Trying to comfort her, he learns she has lost her job as editor of the Woman's Page of "Squibs" magazine. His chivalry stirred, Bleke tells her he plans to buy the paper.

Visiting the offices, he meets the vibrant young chief editor, and learns the condition of the paper - financially crippled following a competition run by early staff, the prize for which was £5 a week for life. The winner of the prize continues to drain the income of the paper, bringing it to the verge of ruin. Bleke buys it anyway, restoring the girl to her position, but he soon finds his attraction to her drained by her clear affection for her boss.

Frustrated by yet another problematic venture, Bleke repairs to Paris for a month. Returning to London, he finds the place overrun with bizarre advertising stunts for the paper. Confronting the editor, he finds the sales are up, thanks to the campaigns and a new scandal page, which shocks Bleke. The editor explains the stories are all fake, except for one, about a notorious bookie named Percy Pook, who he assures Bleke will never sue.

Next day Bleke finds the editor has been hospitalised following a severe beating, presumably at the hands of the bookie's representatives - he has told the girl to continue his work and to "slip it to" Pook some more. While she prepares the rest of the paper, Bleke volunteers to write the scandal page, to prevent any further insult being meted out. He finds writing difficult, but on seeing a piece about Mr Windelbird, who he had encountered in "The Episode of the Financial Napoleon" and who he assumes is above suspicion, he is inspired to write a provocate piece on the financier's morals.

A week later he is approached with an offer to buy the paper. Happy to be rid of it, he nevertheless names a high price, which he is surprised to find accepted without quibble. He learns that the buyer is none other than his old friend, Mr Geoffrey Windelbird.

External links

* [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8713 Free eBook of "A Man of Means"] at Project Gutenberg