sponsible position. When he
serves a prominent and a leading journal, he is frequently recognized as
an authority, and has a social as well as a professional position to
maintain. Further, the professional woman does not strongly attract the
critic personally. There is no glamour about stage people to him; but
should he desire to make an actress's acquaintance, he would do so in
the perfectly correct manner of a gentleman. But this is not known to
the young stranger within the theatrical gates, and through her
ignorance, which is far from bliss, she may be subjected to a
humiliating and even dangerous experience. I am myself one of several
women whom I know to have been victimized in early days.

The beginner, then, fearing above all things the newspaper, receives one
evening a note common in appearance, coarse in expression, requesting
her acquaintance, and signed "James Flotsam," let us say. Of course she
pays no attention, and two nights later a card reaches her--a very
doubtful one at that--bearing the name "James Flotsam," and in the
corner, _Herald_. She may be about to refuse to see the person, but some
one will be sure to exclaim, "For mercy's sake! don't make an enemy on
the 'press.'"

And trembling at the idea of being attacked or sneered at in print,
without one thought of asking what _Herald_ this unknown represents,
without remembering that Miller's Pond or Somebody-else's Corners may
have a _Herald_ she hastens to grant to this probably ignorant young
lout the unchaperoned interview she would instantly refuse to a
gentleman whose name was even well known to her; and trembling with fear
and hope she will listen to his boastings "of the awful roasting he gave
Billy This or Dick That," referring thus to the most prominent actors of
the day, or to his promises of puffs for herself "when old Brown or
Smith are out of the office" (the managing and the city editors both
being jealous of him, and blue pencilling him just for spite); and if
Mr. Flotsam does not, without leave, bring up and present his chum, Mr.
Jetsam, the young woman will be fortunate.

A little quiet thought will convince her that an editor would not assign
such a person to report the burning of a barn or the interruption of a
dog fight, and with deep mortification she will discover her mistake.
The trick is as old as it is contemptible, and many a great paper has
had its name put to the dishonourable use of frightening a young actress
into an