The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-05-21
Unexpected Use of Foolish Letter.
TpbiIadaIv,F,is E,-ass


Among the disadvantages of the posi-
ton of prima donna of a light opera are
the inuumeTable missives from masculine
admirers, sometimes tender and apologize,
but often grossly impeTtinent. The other
evening, despite the watchful care of the
stage doorkeeper at Haverlys theatre,
note was delivered to the lady who was
singing the title role 1t read as follows:
my DEAR MISS -: l have seen your
charming impersOnatiOn and am DESTROYS
of becoming acquainted with you, and for
that purpose invite you to sup with me
after the performance. | am aware that
have more cheek than brains, but l have
plenty of money and am a New Yorker.
l shall be seated in sixth row left, third
seat from the center isle. If you accept
my invitation, when you come forward
for your solo in the second act, please
wink with your right eye. L will have a
carriage at the stage door.
Amused, in spite Of her vexation, at the
insufferably cool impertinenCe of the
letter, the lady exhibited it to various
members of the company. 1t was resolved
that the cOnceited New Yorker should be
punished, and in as open a manner as pos
sible So when the curtain rose on the
second act and the whole company was
on the stage, the actor who should be the
first one to speak walked deliberately to
the footilghts with the letter in his hand
and, putting on his eyeglasses, began to
count in a manner which attracted the
attention of the entire audieAce, until he
singled out the New Yorker, who was
beginning to squirm under such close
scrutiny.
He then removed his glasses and, after
once more glancing at the letter, slowly
and solemnly winked his right eye and
pointed over his shoulder toward the back
door. The audience by this time began
to suspect the position of affairs, and all
eyes were fixed upon the sixth row. Then
another actor stepped to the front and, in
the same manner winked and pointed
over his shoulder, while the unlucky dude
seemed trying to shrink out of sight be-
hind his neighbors. But the end was not
yet, for, as though at a concerted signal,
the entire company, principals and chorus,
fastened their gaze upon the now thor
Oughly uncomfortable young man, and
each deliberately winked the right eye
This was too much for his dudeship and,
rising in his seat, he beat hasty and in
glorious retreat amid shouts of laughter.
The Struggling Author in England.
Ian the Year Round.I
Editors are so worried by mass of cor
respOndence that few of them care to sift
the matter offered to them, mostly pre-
ferrfng to lean on known names. Then
the competition in periodicals is so great
that one only gets half guinea for matter
which, twelve years, since, was worth q
guinea The struggling author now may
send out twenty manuscripts and fifteen
will miss fire altogether, and of the five
accepted perhaps three will not be paid
for. Half of the rest will not be returned
to him, but go into the waste-paper baS-
Nket
The struggling author works hard,
and most of his work goes for nothing.
He lives on hope, and the pOstman's
knock at his door more often brings a
pang than JOY to his heart. Let him be
ever so clever, if he have no name, or no
regular engagement on a journal, he can
not make a living by mere fugitive writ
ing If he is at all n good writer he is I'M
fit for any other work; from the years of
study he has had to perfect himself in an
art that brings him no return he has been
unable to gain knowledge of any other
trade or profession. Even if capable of
quickly mastering details of business no
one will engage him because he has no eX.
perience.
If his pen fail him, what can he do :?
Only some luminous idea or lucky chance
can save him from starvation. If he can
write stories badly enough for some of
the penny journals he will get perhaps 8
pounds sterling for one which takes him
a month to write For a three-volume
novel, which no man can @invent and
write in less than six months, he will get
30 pounds sterling, perhaps. And as for
dramatic authorship-nO one will read
the play when it is written, much less
produce it. If he writes a five-act melo-
drama, and likes to hang about after the
managers of outlying theatres, he may get
an offer of 8 pounds sterling for the en-
tire right of the work, and then be asked
to pay for the cost of the all-important
"posters. These are facts. There is
no harder career than letters.