The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-09
PAY FOR FLATTERY.
Capitalists, Tadesmen, Actors, Sports
men Unfortunately Proud of Praise.
From Tit Rits
From Tit-Bir

A friend of the writer is we'll ac-
uuainted with a wealthy employer of
labor in the north Of England, who has
an Unsuitable hunger for fattery, and
will 70 felt any reasonable sum to Sc
cure the praise so sweet to his soul.
His shrewd manager is we'll aware Of
his weakness, and has pocketed many
a fat fee in conse luence. Now ard
again a Testimonial" craze will break
out among the employees of the firm,
and an Illuminated address OF a most
complimentary character will be pre-
ssnted to the delighted master, who
shows it to all his friends and sends
copies to the press. But only those in
the secret know that the men who sign
the testimonial get a days holiday on
full pay for so doing, while the willy
manager who engineers the affair gets
a e5 note.
Among those in the theatrical pro-
fession 1t Is a notorious fact that GER
tain provincial actors, when about to
visit new town, arrange with an agent
for public welcome" at the railway
station and an ovation in the public
streets. In every town there are men
who will applaud anybody and any
thing for q shilling an hour. A crowd
of these creatures are hired for thl
| occasion, and applaud the actor as he
| arrives in the town. They also follow
his carriage through the streets and
vociferously shout his name and fame.
| This kind Of thing is sure to be para
graphed in the local papers, and pays
Infinitely better than any ordinary ad-
vertisement.
| 1t Is no uncommon occurrence for
amateur music hall singers to secure
an ovation every night they appear by
employing a clique of paid patrons, who
| distribute themselves about the hal
and ardently applaud at the elected
time. This is known as drawing the
house" and the praise thus purchased
and prearranged often proves con-
tagious in exciting applause of a more
general and natural charactex.
An amateur batsman of some motor
iety in the north is in the habit OF
bribing the lads of the village 20 ap-
plaud him as he leaves the pavilion
For sixpence a rural lad will shout
himself hoarse in praise of any one
and los. or los. so spent by the CON
ceited cricketer produces applause DO.
tent enough 10 please the most exact
ing egotist
A wealthy man in the Midiands ha.
invented number of eccentric bu
useless articles, which he has placed
upon the market at his own expense
To any person who writes him a fiat
tering testimonial concerning any O.
these articles. he invariably sends 6
letter of thanks, inclosing a postal or
der for ten shillings. The testimonial'
he thus receives--now numbering som.
hundreds-he preserves In albums. ma d,
for the purpose, and these books h
keeps upon his drawing room table fo
the inspection OF visitors.
An itinerant medico, of American
origin, while travelling in the provinces
was accustomed to pay a certain mum
ber of people to praise his goods in tn
presence Of the public. These folk me
in the market square every evening
and, ascending the platform, gave per
sonal testimony as TO the benefit" the,
had derived from using the variou
nostrums sold by the medicine man
Some Of the more fluent and accom-
plished of these prevaricators wer
paid half crown for their testimony
On one occasion, however, an alterca
tion took place as to the payment o
one of these walking testimonials. S
the secret leaked out.
Certain candidates for pa ament II
past elections have not been bove pur
chasing praise from members of thei
prospective constituencies. One yer,
wealthy candidate always instructe,
his agent to prepare a list of probabl
patrons in a parish, prior to a publ
meeting. These were artfully ap
preached, and advised that their ard
ent applause at the forthcoming meet
ing would be noted and remunerated
And it was too.