The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
NEWSPAPER EXPERIENCE
MISS JENKINS U THE LIFE
STRENUOUS WHILE 1T LASTED.
She Received Advice in Unlimited
Quantities, and but Little Aid
Now Takes Care of the Baby.
York Commercial Advertiser.

ism. She lives in great dignity In a Har-
lem fat now and takes care of the baby.
Her husband is something in the whole
sale grocery business and nothing out Of
it," as Miss Jenkins who used TO have
a caUstic wit of her OWN once described
him.
Sometimes, when the baby is building
blocks and strong-mindedly taking care
of himself, his mother. unlike Silas Wegg,
drops into prose. She tells how she came
to be what in England is called a writer
for the Press" The press is alluded to
with a solemn capital ''P" in England.
because, like Punch, it is not a thing 10
laugh at.
Miss Jenkins went to Oxford the summer
of the year she graduated. She wanted TO
see Balliol and hear some lectures. 1t
was then she began TO write for the press.
She sent fashion articles TO the papers.
They printed the articles, but they first
changed ION the bias" to "on the cross
goods to N'stuffs," '~'shirtwaists' TO
"blouses,' waists TO 'bodices,' ties
to shoes" shoes to boots and per
fume' TO scent" Miss Jenkins was not
discouraged, but when she wrote a sec
ond article the editor sent it back, saying
there was a lack of enthusiasm apparent
in her descriptions of things and couldn't
she throw in a French word or two? Miss
Jenkins asked how chic and piquant and
chapeau and giants de suede would do, and
the editor beamed his appreciation. But
they came to a standstill about the lack
of enthusiasm. Il guess you mean L lack
superlatives. isn't that it?' asked Miss
Jenkins. The editor pondered and then
announced: Ladies love TO read adJec-
tives."
WEAK ON SUPERLATIVES.
Superlatives were necessary in all the
works of London journalism that Miss
jenkins attempted. The society editors in
sisted that every society lady was very
pretty" most beautiful or excessively"
we'll dressed. To dismiss Lady This with
out an adjective was a sad mistake, but
to use a mere adjective. u-naccompanied by
an adverb was most objectionable. Even
extraordinary big and fierce and strong
as it sounded to Miss Jenkins's American
ears, was not allowed TO qualify the I'M
usual without support.
II fancy you mean a most extraordinary
bonnet, don't your" the society editor
asked her once when she had displayed her
poverty Of superlatives in his columns.
Wearying of adjectives, Miss jenkins
came nome in the autumn. II had no let
ters of introduction she says. II don't be-
lieve in them and never used but one in
my life. That was from a well-known
frothy style, his taste in dress, his fine ap-
pearance and his early ~escapades as he is
for making money and getting his name be-
fore the public. He is an inveterate first
nighter and noted more for his originality
and audacity than for his scholarly or liter
airy tendencies. | believe he has been called
the most thorough man of the world in
New York. To this parsonage l went when
L arrived in New York. He wrote for a
published his articles. I looked upon him
as the veritable dean Of journalism. His
offices were luxurious and he had two type
writer's working for dear life. One was
sending out articles and letters: the other
was taking dictation while the dictator
STROBE up and down the room talking in a
loud voice and with appropriate gestures.
THE IDEA" IN DEMAND.
He was so good to look at and received
me in such a friendly off-hand manner that
1 was quite charmed. We sat down and l
told him my hopes and my designs on New
York and asked his advice. Don't tell
me to go back to the country, because
won't CO. 1 said. I have the journalistic
bee in my bonnet
It's a mighty pretty bonnet was his
comment.
THE first thing is to forget you are
Vice. Don't q 60 into into I a newsps sper office Ace
with the air Of a cOnqueror, and don't
think II am pretty; am oharmi9s: l
impress them" Don't think any Of these
things. and even when you are famous
don't ever say to yourself, Il am Julia
Caesar Tor Cleopatra or Mary, Queen of
Scots!); they will be glad to see me-"
They won't. There is only one person
they are glad to see in a newspaper office,
and that is the man or the woman with
an idea. And if you have an idea they
want you and you will get a hearing. The
newspaper folk who are not too cheeky
fore f6fge eSu evsrT tIH wag else but but up tRa With Vol ideas aTG
a person with an idea; never say you can't
do a thing. but go ahead. Even l can't do
ist mOdestly. But there isn't anything |
wouldn't dare try. That's how 1 make
money, how / down my enemies, how I
keep we'll and how l keep ~young-and If
you knew anything about me you'd know
I'm past master in all these things And
he was and is, too.
THE BEE IN HER BONNET.
Then he gave me a letter OF introduce
ticn to an editor. When I presented It
the editor grinned. Have you seen this p
he asked. l had not. so he handed IL to
NE. 1t read: Dear B: This will in
troduce Miss Sappho Jenkins and her pref
ty bonnet. She says the bonnet contains
a bee that will buzz for you If you will.
She is as bright as a button Then the
editor smiled again and looked at my hat.
81 would like 10 write you an article on
"A Summer in oxford on 500" | said
primly. DO you care for the subject?'
- don't think 500 would bride me to
stay there all summer, the editor unused.
Sleepy old hole. as L remember 1t. I'm
afraid Oxford's rather a far cry from
Broadway. L think I'd rather have How,
TO Do COney on ST. And he wasn't iok-
ing, either. l did the story. All arti-
cles are stories with editors. you know.
Il didn't make much money, but l got
lots Of good advice in those days. sun
pose il. was because I looked very Young
TO be fitting around offices trying 10 feel
that as was a person with an idea, l
would be welcome. The young editors
dle-aged ones were kind and friendly. some
times even fippant or flirtatious. The old
ones We're fatherly or gruff. 1 think 1
would have liked the middle-aged ones
best If they had not been such an un-
certain quantity that l never knew what
to expect. one of. these old-enough-to-be
a-yOung-wOman's-father, but young
enough-to-be-a-beau. used to give me adj
vice. He also used to print my articles
He never praised them or me. but he
was always urging me TO get out of news
paper work, marry and settle down. was
ambitious at that time and thought the
public needed me. | was offended.
HER TWO PROPOSALS.
"'Well, if you Will write them, why not
marry anyway? Few men like scribbling
wives, but 1 wouldn't mind it. I'd like you
better If you didn't write, but l like YOU
so much that 1 could even stand that If
you will marry me- That's the only pro-
posal 1 ever had until Ned came along
l~.--N 49, 49, n 49,