The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-03
MINOR MENTION.

THE manager of the Madson-square Theater,
in New York, has resolved to answer the COM
plants of American literary men that their
plays are not given fair hearing, by permitting
the public to Judge of the merits of some which
have been submitted to him. He is preparing
to put some of these plays to the test of single
performance; whether any one will be repeated
will depend on its reception by the audience at
the first trial This manager Mr. Palmer,
man Of much experience in the theatrical bust
ness, says he would only be too glad if he could
depend upon Howells, Hawthorne, Lathrop and
others of that class of writer's, for plays,-but
that he does not find their work adapted,
in his judgment. to the requirements
of the stage. From a literary stand
point their efforts in this line are
unexceptionable, of courses but as a rule the
plays are weak in dramatic construction Mr..
Palmer also compla rs that authors of high
reputation are sensitive in regard to the hacking
of manuscript and changing Of parts, which is
often necessary, and which old playwrights do
not object to. and invarieb insist that the liter
airy excellence must not be sacrificed to dramatic
effect. A play by Mr.. Howells will be the 6rst
to be given trial on the new plan.
The new and talented editor of Literary Life
has conceived one of the most brilliant schemes
that ever corruscated the intellectual skies of the
Western literary world She proposes that all
the writer's of the United States be consolidated
in an informal literary society, and that their
names be inscribed on tIe subscription books of
that magazine. No charge will be demanded for
writing the names, but it is requested that ST.. so
accompany the name as subscription for one year
to Literary Life. In case this is deemed too
much, the person wishing to enlist in this in
formal society is privileged to send 81 for six
months. The publisher, presumably, inspired
by this brilliant scheme, adds that the papers
submitted by such as have complied with this
hint will receive little more favorable consid-
Grafton than otherwise Hereafter, when any
literary matter comes in, the bookkeeper will be
called into the sanctum and asked if the writer
of the article is subscriber If he or she is not,
the MS will be stuffed in the pgeon-hole.
THE New York correspondent Of the Indian
apols Journal states that Roscoe Conkling takes
his mutton slightly underdone," and his baked
potatoes VERY we'll done" It is such thrilling
items of intelligence AS these that are doing so
much to undermine the nervous system of the
w eSC.-N0W OK 1rlOuu0
It is indeed nearly as bad as for the press of
New York city to give columns of Space to ad-
vertising the doings of singer in cheap con-
cert saloon. The people of the West are more
interested in the little affairs of Mr.. Conkling
than of Mrs. Schilling
ANOTHER actress is on her way over from
England. This one has no husband and no &C
knowledged lover, but bases her claims to public
favor on the fact that she mucted a noble lord
of $50 900 in breach of promise suit and that
she has an insurance Of $4,000 on her new
dresses. She has the further distinction of trav-
cling with her mother, sister and secretary the
latter male being, of course With such cata-
logue of attractions there can be no doubt that
the coming actress is great dramatic artistic.
Miss Rose ELIZABETH CLEVELAND has fixed
the value of Boston poems at l cent word,
and recently forwarded ST. 25 to a leading Boston
poet for contribution of his to her magazine,
81. % OF which was for the 122 words of the poem,
and the other cents thrown in, lowing to the
excellence of your work" The Boston poets
don't seem to be pleased with her rates, but
the general public will conceive an increased re-
spect for Miss Cleveland literary and financial
Judgment.
1T is claimed that the wife of the President is
stared at as though she were professional
beauty. This is too bad. The fact that she con-
sented to sit seventy five times for photog
raphist who wished to place her pictures on sale.
does not prove beyond doubt that she is a pro-
fessonal beauty, but it is enough, perhaps, to
serve as an excuse for the public thinking so.
The staring should cease.
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