The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-10
LION HUNTERS.
NOT punSUERS OF THE KING OF
BEASTS, BUT OF CELEBRITIES.

All Done 70 Feed the Vanity of the Leo
H-sn~r-- "A Process OF Social Torture
which Makes Many Men of Genius Mis-
srabls.
Formerly the lions In the amphitheater
ate the Christians. Now the so called
Christians eat the lions, mangling them
first They live ON lion. 1t Is lonely
trade among the tribe, for no ono lion
hunter loves another lion hunter. The
Mrs Lion Hunters of fashionable fame
have enormous capacity for their celebrat-
cd food. There ID not much left after they
are through for the poor little hunters, and
consequently there are fights sometimes,
called rows, and now and then lion food
disagrees. IL does not always assimilate,
especially after the lions leave.
TO be king OF genius 10 pleasant no
doubt, TO have instituted a right TO the
royal succession, TO be unhesitatingly
crowned, To be that especial appanage OF
royalty, nattcrors kneeling at ones feet,
Is an agreeable recreation. No ono would
willingly decline the scepter. Poets, nu-
sicians, idealists, love hattery. We all do.
The human mind can bear great deal OF
&c. But kings are sometimes allowed 10
eat alone. They have their hours OF retir'
acy, but how many hours arc allowed TO
the kings Of genius' Read the letters OF
Dickens and see how he detested the lion
hunter. just ready to die OF that over
wrought brain which gave up its lifebiood
that we might be amused, we selfishly de-
manded those sacred hours which he should
have given to repose for the qualification
to our oyervanity that it might be said he
was TO bc seen at our parties.
Mrs. Leo Hunter-his own immortal
creation--stands as the head of class OF
whom we have many examples, class
who deserve such an appellation and por-
traituro.
There was once town named Bugaboo,
where resided woman who had such an
appetite for lion that she became the VIC
tim Of anecdote and parable, and sarcas-
tic neighbor Of hers said: why, II Goethe
should come To Bugaboo, she would say III
she met you in the street: Come in this
evening. Wolfgang is coming.
In thus calling the lion by his Christian
name this intimacy, which such phrase
indicates, is part of that assumption for
which Mrs Leo Hunter Is famous.
The great man is her intimate friendl
Women are weak on this point They ike
to shine with reflected light They are anx-
ious that other women should see them
admired, followed, fiattered.
Many of them are content with this re-
fected glory. II they cannot stand In the
real sunshine Of a real celebrity, they ike
the glitter Of tin reflector. Anything Is
better than nothing. A tallow candle can
cast glory. The fate Of prima donna
who has the charm of social adaptability
and who does not eat with her knife Is
hard one. Every one wants her for q ball,
dinner, tea or breakfast because some
body else has had her. The actor or ac-
tress who can claim the distinction OF the
salon has to keep book. There Is ru-
NOR that Irving said he was engaged ev-
cry Sunday for two years, )" but jovial &C
tors are not famous for keeping their en-
gagements. When Mrs Leo Hunters
grow too intensive, they shake name
and scatter their admirers as the real lion
shakes off the dewdrops.
The musical lion is q very much to be
pitied animal. From the appearance of
Paderewski's name (some one said he
looked like new variety of chrysanthe-
mum), be has evidently not given away
many locks of his hair, but he has been
bored. When he wearily goes out OF the
Auditorium theater at Chicago, with 90
young ladies following him breathless
with alteration, how pitiably he shows dis
gust and fatigue! His very trade requires
repose and solitude. He is u composer.
He needs his leisure hours to himself, but
when once the prey of Mrs. Leo Hunter
woe be unto him! He must be chained to
her chariot when she drives abroad, and
he must play for her when she wishes.
The lion is of no consequence What does
a. g, n,,eA Il Ia,D toni
vanity il Of much consequence, and 1t
must be fed.
Great goniuses know that they must
work for popularity. All have heard Of
the early starvation period, when tho artist
must learn to do his work, how to secure
patrons, how TO bear neglect and how to
use success. In those dark hours does
Mrs. Leo Hunter 60 to him, encourage
him and invite him2 Alas, mol Never
Until no has conquered he is not asked TO
her soirees. IN those dark days he did not
light up her egregious vanity.
1t is Of consequence TO every art worker
to make work which will sell. Therefore
every artist must not only dream his
dream, but he must so interpret it that
the crowd can understand IL. He must be
dreamer and soothsayer both. But have
we any right TO ask how he does iti Shall
we indiscreetly go behind the veilf Shall
we demand of Shakespeare, Hawthorne,
SGlyini, Browning, Rubinstein, the recipe
of genius?
And it was not the respectful curiosity
with which the painter looks at an unfn
ished picture by Rubens, or the blotter
page of Byron or Hawthorne, TO sec how
the thoughts came, mutually suggesting
each other, nor the interest with which
we watch Story as he puts up the Cleo
patra that we may learn Of him. No; Mrs.
Leo does not rake over the sacred ashes Of
the "feu saore" from spirit of reverence
No; that fire might burn to heaven and
consume poet, author, musician; she would
not care. Did not its porfumed logs leave
a fragrant residuum behind, out Of which
dust she could make powder for her mou-
choir casep
We must remember that the dread con-
ditions of genius arc that the mortal man
who carries tho load Of a great brain is
weak. We must not SO bore him as TO be
obliged 60 odd compassion To admiration.
Tho sapefhln Ifgr, Ing "a protvl for Afrc an