The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-10-21
Our New York Letter.
correspondence OF ADVOCATE.


NEW YORK, Oct. IL, 1882.
One of the most remarkable features OF
the present season, is the frantic efforts
which people who are not in society
make, in order to appear in it, if not OF
it; and, what is still more remarkable, to
see how greatly certain newspapers en-
courage and assist them. 1t may not be
exactly proof of legitimate journalistic
success If newspaper goes out OF its
line and makes itself an agency to coddle
to the aspirations after higher fashion OF
the Mrs. and Misses de Terra Gotta who,
though their distingue looking father
slaves it as a fifteen dollar-a-w week floor
walker, yet regard themselves as fully as
good if not better than those snobbish
DraRon-Blue girls whose doipgs are re-
ligiously chronicled in the society jour
mails. Yet, 1 suppose such new depar-
ture is one of the necessities of the age,
and exacting as are the demands OF peo-
pie upon their favorite newspaper, the
era is perhaps not far away when people
will expect it to do all their work for
them. 1t tells them now what to eat and
how to cook it; what styles one ought to
wear, how to deport ones self, what
books one ought TO admire, what pictures
to praise and what horse to bet on. II
was said of a certain famous author, that
to hear him speak was polite education.
Nowadays the newspaper surpasses any
collegiate course for iullness of instruc.
tion, wide range of topics and the praoti-
cal utility of its teachings.
The "World" was the founder OF this
new departure, and l suppose it pays
the proprietors, for if you take away its
racing department. the World" has no
journalistic right to exist. From its EN-.
ployment bureau arose the general utili.
ty business which they now attend to.
Say you are a new man in town, and
have made strike in Wall street you in.
vite some friends from your native place
to come and visit you. OF course you
wish to impress them not alone with
your recently acquired wealth, but you
are also anxious to pose as man of in.
fiuence, who has the rare faculty of sur.
rounding himself with bright, witty and
distinguished men. You therefore ask
them to meet some friends at dinner.
But whom do you know? Outside Of your
broker whose mental horizon is bounded
by the daily encounters between the bulls
and bears of Wall street on one side, and
the silk tights of a burlesque actress on
the other; one or two chance acquaint.
ances whom you have picked up in hotel
barrooms, and bakers dozen of lucky
or unlucky fellow spectators, you know
nobody. You may have learned enough
to enjoy good dinner, but you do not
know how to order one. To confess the
truth, you are somewhat at loss what
to do. 1t is there that the "World'
steps in like rescuing angel. 1t furn-
ishes you a caterer, who in turn furnishes
you with not alone good dinner and ir-
reproachable wines, but with all the sill
yer, chinaware, glass, flowers, lights etc.,
you may want. Then as to your guests.
II you are wise, you will take the clerk
into your confidence and he will steer
you through. Say you want four dis
tinguished friends whom your home
friends are to meet. For the payment of
from five to fifteen dollars each you will
be able to obtain leading old gentleman
who will pose as an ex-congressmau, a
'jeune permier" as they would call him
on the French stage. who can chat and
make himself agreeable to every body, a
quiet walking gentleman of leisure and a
Travelled man with long tswny NOUS
tache, and sporting proclivities. Aided
by these gentlemen, your little dinner
passes of like charm. Your provincial
friends will be pleased and feel them
selves honored. and upon returning
home will sound your praises to such an
extent that the local paper will have to
take up the pecan, and if you have politi-
cal aspirations, this will open the road to
preferment to you. The advantages of
the World-young-man system are there
fore self evident.
Several weekly society papers have
taken up this idea, and are 'workine it"
admirably. One of them has gone step
further, and furnishes elocutionisis,
magicians, musicians, soloists and dra.
matte artists. The thing am told pays,
and therefore competitors will increase.
l suppose in the near future a metropoli.
tan newspaper Office will be nothing if il
has not the appearance of backwoods
traders store.
As was to be expected Maurice Grau
made money when he played Theo in
"La Timba!e d Argent" The bald head.
ed brigade was there in full force, and as
the house has a seating capacity of no
more than 1000 a large number of old
boys and young men bad to stand Though
the only two performances that were
given of this acme of French nastiness.
The plot is simply vile and the music
offers no redeeming features; if it we're
played, the police wonld probably raid
the theatre on the first night. The onora
is played to perfection aud that Of course
strengthened the high spice, until it was
positively burning.
The Madison Square Theatre is not
likely to make bonanza out Of "Youuq
Mrs. Winthrop" Bronson Howard. who
has hitherto had number Of successes
when be Lad partner in literary COM
position, does not seem able ''to live the
pace as they say on the turf, when de.
pending on his own unAided resources