St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-26
JENKINS WOES.

| JENKINS WOES.
The Society Reporter Airs His
Grievances and Seems to Expect
Sympathy Which He May or May
Not Get.
| Chicago Tribune
II Think" he said, and he sighed 81
deeply that his boots creaked, ''that
will make a requisition on the city
editor for an ice chest to be put up il
| the local ROOM"
| "Why?' he was asked.
| Because am assigned to the society
end OF the paper again, and L want
! something that will prepare me for the
frigidity of my reception at some OF the
| swell affairs. 1t is such shock to one;
nervous system to go from the compare
lively warm snow and ice of winter
night to the icy presence OF some host
| eSSeS | know"
You don't like society reporting
then?'
"WeIl, of course, it's good expert
| ence for man. | understand Greedy
| ton by reporting society events, and
I'm told that he said when he returned
that he found nothing in the North SO
| cold as the manner of some paryenu
hosteSseS. In view of my own expert
ences, | don't doubt. Why. went to
report ball once, and when | asked
the hostess politely for what she was
| willing to have said about the enter
tainment she turned on me with stony
| stare. think there was Steely glitter
in her eyes, too, but I'll not be positive
about that. Then her nose turned up
| so high that it got lost in her bangs, and
she made some remark about impudent
| reporters. | stood it for moment, and
then l rushed madly forth into the colo
and cherries night and threw myself
into snowdrift to thaw out. And, dc
| you know, it was so warm, compare.
lively, that it blistered my skim"
"What did she do?'
| ''She sent SIX servants out to catch me
for fear might escape without an &C.
count of her BALL.
| Are you often treated that way?''
"By parvenus almost invariably"
| "And OtherS"
could give you list of some of the ac-
knowledged leaders of society who are
| ever anything but courteous. You can
generally tell one who is sure of nel
personal position from one who is not
| You see, my boy, here am Ia society
reporter. | am told to go and report
Mrs. Smiths ball, and I've got to do it
| | don't 20 there for pleasure, and
| have no designs on her spoons, nor am
| begging for something to eat. Then
| why not treat me cOurteously? Echo
can't answe at all. The nearest echo
| ever came to answering was to intimate
| that there was lack of breeding some
where. What's the use of snubbing a
| fellow simply because you have a
| chance? L had hostess once say to
her servant, John, give this man some
| refreshments What right had she to
treat me like beggar simply because |
| had asked for some details of her enter
tainment? l went to her in the line of
| my business: didn't go to dine.
| E''Ah, well, this world is made up OF
! strange people, and some of the oldest
| are in the society swim. always think
! that the woman who is not quite sure OF
her position is the one who is always
| trying to make others feel that they are
her interiors. Let me give you an illus
tration. The Office was requested once
to send man to little entertainment,
aud got the job. AS it was necessary
for me TO be there some little time put
on my aress suit. The hostess was re-
ceiving when [ arrived. She offered
me her hand, but naturally didn re-
cognize me. so introduced myself.
"'I am from the - | said.
"Quick as flash the Outstretched
hand passed by me to the gentleman be-
hind, and she said:
"'You'll find seat near the back of
the room.'
"Was that action called for? l was
not an intruder. l had been asked to
come.
But the best part of the affair came
afterwards. A prominent society
woman was standing near the door, and
l think she saw what happened. |
knew her slightly, having interviewed
her OH society matters several times.
Well, the moment | had passed the
name, and chatted with me for several
moments"
"Wellp'
"Well, do you know Tve noticed one
curious thing: A society reporter is
just as fond of being treated courteous
ly as any enc else. 1t seems strange, /
know, but Pm conyin ced that it's true.
In fact. Pm satisfied the society report
er is built Oh much the same plan as
the rest of humanity, and feels an
insult OF slight just as keenly. Odd, isn't
it?''
'Indeed it is. never would have
suspected it."
''Many people apparently don't.
Others, Pm inclined to think, can't say
NO courteously. Their only way of
doing it is to show you the door with
some insulting remark, although you
may have been as courteous as you
please. I've noticed another strange
thing, too. A reporter doesn't go to a
house for his own amusement"
els that really so?"
eyes; Pm quite positive of it. l
never knew of case where he went
merely out of vulgar curiosity"
.No?n
mo; he goes generally to satisfy the
curiosity and sometimes the vanity of
others. But the hostess seldom thinks
so. She seems to think that he comes
simply from boOriSh desire to intrude.
Iowance from his father she would
treat him graciously, but because he is
earning his own living she cannot even
be courteous sometimes"
"What is the best way to do society
reporting"'
my way, whenever it is possible, is
to go either before or after all entertain
ment, when the hostess is at liberty. OF
course she can't leave when she is re-
ceiving her guests, and sometimes. even
when she is willing to give the details,
she has no one to send to give them to
me. A hostess may desire to be as
gracious as you please, but she can't
leave her guests because q reporter is