Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-29
SANCTUM SECRETS.
One OF the ..Impaipables' CT the Press
Delivers Attractive Lecture
at GreenIaW OperahOuse.
The PeripaIetIe Historian Described 10
the Life by Talented Mem
Der of the Guild.

Der of the Guild.
The lecture oil Mr.. David A. Curtis, of the
New York Herald, last night, at the Greenlaw
Operahous7, was among lectures rdrd dris
The audience was large one, and there was
an anticipation that something out of the
usual trail would be given. The Ignorance
OF the public concerning the newspaper re-
porter is on a parallel with its Ignorance
concerning the actor. The private life oil
the doctor, the lawyer and the preacher is
known of men. They have time to devote
to social pleasures; but who knows the pri-
vate life OF the actor or the peripate:ic
scribe? For all the people know he has
no private life. The reason of this is sim
ply because the reporter has no time to de-
vote to society of fashionable kind. The
ball room, the social gathering, and the
party are not for him save a matter OF
business. And so the reporter is removed a
bit beyond the ordinary range Of mems
visions. He is seen
MERCURIAL ITINERAST
Joking, perhaps, when at heart the ssddest !;
serious when he wants to smile, passive when
he wants 10 wither, enthusiastic when he
would prefer to be passive. He is possessed
of the devils Of unrest, change and novelty;
he ia not allowed to pause TO show his heart (;
in short, so far as the opinions of men go,
he is a phantom. The lecture of Mr.. Curtis
gave an insight into this strange, unreal be-
ing, and a true insight was. The lecturers
method was very commendable; indeed, it
such lecture as might have been ex-
pected OF a reporter. At times Mr.. Curtis
let fall choice bits OF the drollest humor, re-
minding one of Artemus Ward; then sue
ceeded short interludes of description worthy
of an accomplished iEer1teur; and anon
pungent antithises and reportorial acumen.
1t was in all respects most delightful lee
ture delivered with no attempt at oratory,
but in a manner at once simple and winning.
the audience was captivated throughout.
Mr.. Curtis was introduced to the audience
by Mr.. David p. MADDEN, who with Colonel
II. A. Montgomery, Captain j. Harvey
Mathes and others remained upon the stage.
In the course Of the talk many stories were
told illustrating the subject. First Mr.. Cur
tbs took a glance at the
REPORTERS OF ANTIQUITY,
and traced the history of the guild up to the
present time. When he stood in the light of
the present century he was on terra tirmd, so
to speak, and the genuine interest OF the lee
tnre began. The requisites, he said, for a
successful reporter were courage, stamina,
GOODNESS, great perceptive qualities and I'M
blushing audacity. In illustrating the in
gredient of courage, he cited the fact out OF
his own experience, wherein he had gone
down into mine, where an explosion had
taken place, and where single spark of fire
would have blown him and his party into
nothing. On one occasion he had been noti-
fed by telegraph to go to the bottom of Long
Island Sound in diving-bell; he didn't CO.
To his audience it might not seem
VERY BRAVE THING
to do to go to Arkansas; they might be used
to Arkansas; he wasn't. He had gone TO
Arkansas City, and found it dull. He re-
solved to have little sport there. He asked
a man If there was any game to be had
about there He was directed TO the next
room. lie found plenty OF game there
called poker He bought some of the game,
and nearly had fight with the man playing
with him, who wsnted to quarrel. He said
be could play cards with a man for seven
years without quarreliDg with him. The
nan left the room hurriedly, and the scribe
vas informed that he had killed man a
hort time before. He concluded that Arkan-
as was good State for a str anger-to get
,ut of.
BRIDES AND ALCOHOL.
He said the audience might not agree with
lin when he declared that stamina was a
great essential in a reporter. The greatest
emptation to which the profession was liable
vas alcohol. The lecturer enumerated sew
ral instances Outright journalists who had
zone down before the destroyer. The pro-
ession was assailed or all sides by brides, |
md they certainly required stamina to resist |
hem. There was time when shorthand |
writer's were the only reporters, and in En-
land it was still the fashion to employ them, |
Is the Englishman wanted every bit OF /
peech, with the hear, hear" thrown in. |
america did not have time to read speeches. |
;he wanted facts, and hence the picturesque |
eporter OF to-day was the man who could |
ee shorthand, not write it. He said
reporter of the Herald, on one occa-
ion, was aboard train when 1t was
brown from the track. His head was
mashed and one of his hands injured,
ut with the other he went around
ying asked him for a drink of water.
Yes, ma'am," he said, "Ill get 1t in a
minute, but give me your name first; you
night die before | get back" He had
7ord to say about interviews, which
e thought were useful things, despite the
ashton of decrying them. When reporter
rent to a man and offered him the privilege
papers wide circul alton for the express
ION of his views, it was certainly compli-
lent. Ii man did not want 10 be inter
iewed, let him say SO. He gave vivid
icturts of collecting news up in balloon, or
own in coal mine, aboard dark car, in
riot or in a skif. The checklist reporter
e ever met was Philadelphia man, who
sked Rutherford Il. Hayes if he thought
lie Florida count was a correct one. The
oarier journal reporter, however, who asked
[r. Beecher if he were guilty, must take the
Ike from Mr.. Curtis Philadelphia scribe.
fine tribute was paid the reporter as the
,llector of modern history and as power
the civilization OF the country. The sub
ct was treated by sympathetic hand, and
e press is assuredly under obligations TO
n. Curtis for his brave utterance in its be
alf.