The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-09-10
EDITORIAL SYMPOSIUM.
What Some of the Leading
Newspaper Men Think
of Writing Women
Who Call Upon
Them.

l.
encel-The number of women in
quasi. professional life has somewhat
taken the chill of of the atmosphere,
but the situation is still a little strained.
A timid knock at an Office door-for
o woman's idea of politeness obliges
her to knock-or a bit of pasteboard,
with a woman's name, is still apt to
cause thrill of apprehension. To
many men the rustic of woman 6
skirts indicates an emergency to be
dealt with, and they brace themselves
accordingly. To women it is both
annoying and amusing, that in such
a serious and necessary affair as bread
winning, they cannot be accepted
naturally. They feel SO inoFensive,
so relatively unimportant. and In
many instances are entertaining such
an apologize mental state, that they
are unable to realize their power TO
strike terror. 1t is this inability which
really makes them more Objectionable
than nature ever intended them to be
under any circumstances. Otherwise
they would quickly translate all those
little indications by which men show
their nervous apprehensions into one
eloquent plea-"cut it short"
But women having brought them
selves to the point of making known
their errand, the endeavor to con-
clude it presents another problem.
The art of leaving off has not always
been successfully acquired even by
men. Moreover, curtness always
seems to women q little rude. These
are the real reasons why women are
apt to take up a good deal of tine,
aud why men dread them more, for
example, than they do procrastina-
ton.
A woman of affairs was appointed
to head of committee before a great
ecclesiastical dignitary. Feeling her
responsibility, she had a preliminary
rehearsal and vainly endeavored to
impress the members with the necess-
ity of speaking briefly. After the
visit was over she could only console
herself with the thought that she had
begun buttoning up her jacket before
the ecclesiastic stood up.
Women who have had experience
are usually able to state their desires
at reasonable length; but most men
do not know this, and exercise them
selves unressonably. which involves
unnecessary time in restoring them
to their usual calm habits of atten-
ton.
Editors of newspapers may be &C.
cepted as experts On this subject. No
class of men receive SO many visits
from women. Every pretext. real or
fancied, has been handsomely worked.
There Is no reason so serious and no
folly 60 airy that has not had its spe-
cial pfeader in newspaper Offices. 1t
has been a question of how far edi-
tors appreciate their privileges. The
most prominent of the New York edi-
tors have kindly consented 20 give me
their opinions based, each man. on
his experiences. On the whole it will
be seen that they carry themselves
chivalrously.
Mr.. Charles Miller, editor-in-chief
Of the New York Times, says:
II would as soon have woman
call on me at my Office as a man. [
do not find woman's wishes more
difficult to dispose of; on the contrary,
/ believe they come more directly to
the point and state their business even
more briefly then men. There is a
reason for it. Being naturally a lit
tie timid about coming to newspa-
per Office they have prepared them
selves. They have thought over
what they want to say, and have their
ideas arranged before they come in.
A man, who is likely to be more at
his ease. is consequently more dis
cutsive, and takes up more of our
valuable time"
Sand do you find that women con-
clude their business with equal
promptDess?"
"Yes women have natural tact,
and find are quick to perceive when
an interview is over. 1t might be
much more difficult to signify it to a
man. The women who come to the
Times. office have usually something
that justiies the errand. Cranks, /
find, are of two sexes, and as a rule
they do not frequent this Office. Of
course when a crank of any sort
proves nuisance, the boys are
warned that that person is to be de-
MED hereafter. The greater number
of women who visit us have articles
they have written or want to write.
But even for this purpose most wo-