The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-02-18

The taste for lectures pure and simple,
says the manager Of literary bureau In
New York, has departed to = very great
extent. Only the very best are In de-
mand, and those atmuch reduced prices.
Theodore Tilton made only about &c.
600 last year, while the year after the
trial he made 90. 900. Beecher, Higgin-
son and other 800 Omen are quite willing
to lecture for so now. They recognize
the fact that the prices have come down,
and that >6O Is pretty fair pay for half
an-hour's talk that they can repeat
often. The scientific lecturers and the
lecturers on scholarly topics are grow
Ing less and less In demand. One
scientific lecturer last winter, man Of
reputation, too, found in = Western
town only one auditor, whom he in
vited out to take some oysters. 1t il not
an unusual thing for lecturers to fad
only two or thrce persons in the
audience. People are afraid to Jay out
their money on unknown lecturers. As
q rule, the number Of female aspirants
for employment in winter entertain
ments Is Increasing enormously. The
female readers are legion. Many of
them have little capital Of either money,
good looks, experience or talent. They
think they can jump into good living
instantly. They have no idea Of the
committees will not waste their money
on unknown persons. The other day
We received letter from Western WO-
man who was bent on entering public
life. Her letter was q curiosity Of bad
spelling. The burden Of it was that she
fad charts desire" to 20 on the plat
form. She rang the changes on the
''harts DESIRE" aud only wanted to
know the terms Of the bureau 10 that
she could forward the money and begin
at once. 1t Is surprising how many IL
literate persons can read. They
generally are fortified with profuse
puffs, written by their teslcllers-sO-
called professors Of elOcItiOn-whOse
names would not draw enough Of an
audience to pay tor the gps. The TEN
dency now il to lighter entertainments
than formerly. People want to ne
amused rather than instructed. They
prefer the huilnOrist, and there are even
grades of taste in this respect. Some
places prefer to have grOtcsllue faces.
made ut them by J. Jay Villiens; some
take to the truthful anecdotes of Eli
Perkins. Others must have A. Il. Bur-
hank with the novelties but in some
way or other the people want to liz made
tn laugh. Veterans like Susan Il.
Anthony and Mn. Elizabeth Cady
Stanton are not much in demand. The
days of the lecture platform, as n public
educator seem to Ike passing away. In
the same way that there are often as
pirants to the stage who pay good round
sums to managers to bring then, out,
there are aspimnts to the platform and
reading-desk who invest capital and
fail. had one mysterious advertiser
last seas.,n. She was gONi-looking, had
beautiful dresses. and apparently was
hacked with means. She would not
leave her address, and, after she had
paid her fee, l never heard of her but
once, and then not ~ having made any
success. There IRE now ~ many gODd
performers that new ones have an up
hill task. Committees are on the alert
for variety. Conservative towns. that
formerly would only have staid lrctur-
en-, now demand Il little touch Of the
drama, some comic business, little
magic. ar an OlHretta. Even the Y. NJ.
&. \. folks 20 a. far a. they can in t!.is
direction. InfantiIe prnligie~ ar. now
u drug in the market