The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-20
SPIRIT or TzH PRuss.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics implied Every
DAY for the Evening Telegraph.
BLATHERSKITE INTERVIEWS.


made within year or two by that
peculiar product of American culture,
the special interviewer, it would
be rash to assume that the creature
has reached its full development, or that below
the lowest depths yet reached the New York
BZat6e7SLite will not find a lower. 1t does
seem, however, as il the tender bud of impu-
dence had blossomed at last into such a stu
pendously big peony of vulgarity that no art
Even Mark Twain's burlesque of
the reporter who pushed himself
into the cabinet of the captive of Wilhelms-
hohe, and came away unconscious that his
Majesty had civilly turned him out of doors
without saying anything, is nothalf so absurd
as the sober narrative printed on Wednesday
of the ineffable hunky who ''worked up" the
amours of James Fisk, Jr. The interviews
of the representative of the BldtberSbite with
two gentlemen concerned in the fearful cpl
sode of Fisk's gum-shoes revealed nothing
beyond the fact that ''Mr. Ulysses Thomas
w Pittman' wore diamond ring on his
wedding. finger whichever that may be), and
that 'Mr. Achilles Stokes" is perfectly we'll
bred and has beautiful moss-agate sleeve
buttons We might be skeptical as to the
Bldthe7Skite standard of good breeding, but
Mr. Stokes invited the reporter to ''come
down to the dining ROOM and that explains
a good deal. What they did in the dining
room we, unfortunately, are not told; but in
q short time we find the reporter, in COM
pany with friend named Smith, performing
an exploit that beats even the URi0erS6's de-
scription of Father Hyacinthe's wash-basin.
There are places into which we should think
even an interviewer would be ashamed to in
trude, and scenes which even the BIGtterSbjte
might hesitate to depict. Mr.. Fisk, for in
stance, in his hours of relaxation is spec
tacle not exactly fit for public exhibition;
and his Josie, however picturesque she may
be in an affidavit, ought-for several reasons
to be spared the nuisance of visits from re-
porters. To the private residence of Mrs
Helen Josephine Mansfield Lawlor, never
theless, the representative of the BLatherSbjte
went; and, having got admission, he pro-
ceeded to turn the establishment inside out
with a reckless freedom at which respecta-
bility stands aghast. "The approach to the
hall door by the lofty stoop," we are in
formed, "made the reporter and his friend
feel sense of awe as they assembled
the stone steps" which is attributable we
suppose, to the fact that they were unaccus-
toned to approach brown. stone houses except
by the kitchen way. Having got into the
parlor, where ''all the accessories that wealth
and refinement could suggest were heaped
with reckless profusion worthy of squan-
dering Goth or predatory Hun, they were
thence escorted to the dining-room, which
seems, like the parlor. to have been over
loaded, not to say choked, with its own mag
nifcence, for mahogany furniture, with buhl-
work, and marqueterie, "was as tbickly
strewed in the room as leaves in Vallam-
brosa." In this curious place, surrounded by
pictures of fish and other Indications of
refined taste" sat two ladies at dinner
One was Mrs. Williams, lady of whom we
are told very little, except that she is prepos-
sessing in form. The other, robed in white,
was Mrs. Mansfield. Mrs. Mansfield is
''shaped like a duchess" which is brilliant
but vague. Her skin is 'as fair in fibre aud
hue as the lily ITSELF" She has "sea-shell-
like ears The reporter took her hand and
found it to be smooth: While she received
her guests the reporter and his friend stood
whispering together at the door, dropping
into poetry, discussing her appearance, and
carrying on quite long aside conversation
on the subject of Ireland, Oliver Cromwell,
and Jim Fisk. What tableau this must
have made! When they had finished, Mr..
Smith introduced the BiatAerSkits, out
popped the inevitable notebook, and our
hero, after sucking the point of his pencil,
fell to business.
1t is needless to say that the conversation
was conducted with exquisite tact and deli
cacy. The B!atherSkite began by asking Mrs.
Mansfield if Jim Fisk gave her that houses;
and having thus gently broken the ice, he
made it his duty to inquire where she got all
her fine clothes, who found her in wine Ga
hint which she apparently did not take), and
whether she paid for her own food. She evil
IDENTIFY meant that the reporter should pay for
his, for nothing could persuade her to invite
him to dine. little lively conversation
about the character of Mr.. Fisk suggested the
next question, which seems to have been
sprung upon the lady suddenly, without the
slightest preparation:-"Mrs. Mansfield, don't
you think Montaland is coarse person in
her way ?" This is inimitable. Just fancy
the creature putting this query, with a leer
of idiotie cunning, and the calm conviction
that he had said neat thing for which Mrs.
Mansfield would be everlastingly grateful.
He must have been amazed at the reply
81 do not; l think she is very nice and
pretty"
We need not follow the conversation to the
end. 1t is enough to say that the story OF
the gum-shoes, and Fisk IN tears, and Stokes
triumphant was all rehearsed, and Mrs. Mans
field told how Fisk was such a coward that ht
never walked the streets without man tC
guard him, and used to send to Sheriff O'BrieI
for "a gang of the boys" to protect him a
balls and theatres. The interview closed will
very appropriate remark from Mrs. Mans
field to the effect that she "didnt need tn
assistance of reporters; and the B,dtherSkjt
representative made his way out, and hurrie
to put his shame on paper. OF course he di
not learn single interesting fact by his visit
and even the most prQrient curiosity coul
gather no satisfaction from his narrative
We should not think of alluding TO his exploi
if we considered only its results; but the ma
who could go on such an errand with eyideu
satisfaction, and come away from it withou
the least suspicion that he was a dirty dos
is a social phenomenon that ought to be il
vestigated.