The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-27


don experience by starving was due to the
fact that she had a little ready money.
When she got O the end of 1t and was
vainly cudgelling her brains for market
able idea, her attention was called to q 3
girl who was struggling along, earning
pittance by sewing because too proud to
go out as servant. She knew that serv-
ants were in demand and she thought
there must be something wrong that girls
in need suffered rather than go out
service. She determined to investigate
and the result was series Of articles on
the life of a housemaid, based on her own
experience, that set British matrons by
the ears and caused deluge of letters on
the subject in many of the periodicals.
Partly from choice, but more from the in
ability to get any editor to accept any
other kind Of contributions from her, Miss
Banks continued to experiment with all
kinds of industrial propositions and be-
came in turn a crossing sweeper. flower
girl IN P1ccadilly, a dressmaker's appren-
tice. berry picker. an employe in laun-
dry, purveyor Of fictitious ancestors. and
an American heiress wishing to be proper
ly introduced into English society and pre-
sented at court for a consideration.
These experiences and her bright viva
cious treatment of them soon earned for
Miss Banks the name Of 1.-The exponent Of
the newer and American Journalism and
1T IS as a means of hvening up their rather
staid periodicals that the author has been
best appreciated, one of her staunchest
friends among editors of magazines of high
standing calling her his frivolous contrib
utor' and using her articles very fire.
quently. RE-
The ethics Of this new style journalism
created good deal Of a tempest and be-
cause she frankly admitted that her mo-
tive In these experiences had been to
earn money and not to pose as reformer,
Miss Banks found herself regarded in
some quarters as a, journalistic pariah.
This was unpleasant but it was a part
of the lot of those obliged to write pot
boilers and Miss Banks says she feels
that she carefully restricted herself to the
truth and did good in revealing it, al
though 1t offended the conservative
| tastes Of many. she was satisfied with
the. ethics OF the case.
However,, she did not care to follow up
this beginning by permanent work Of that
kind and she had another "hard-up"
| time: before she broke down the barriers
! of more satisfactory and congenial work.
! Sir Walter Besant was one Of the best
and kindest Of Miss Banks English friends
and he quite approved Of her working
girl experiences, believing that it was
valuable for her and would help pave the
way to better understanding between
employers and employees. He wrote a
jolly little, poem about her as 1.-THE Lady.
Housemaid.''
On the yellow of journals Of New York
Miss Banks did much work that was
loathsome and painful, If not positively
dangerous, and as a result earned large
amount of money for a working woman
and made an individual place for herself
Her duties took her much into the East
Side among the sweat shops, writing up
the lives of the people and her own life
among them.
Her experiments there were similar to
IN h,,A -
tive value from the standpoint Of econom-
ic investigations. It's effect upon herself
Miss Banks describes in this way: p
The way OF life! Truly, I began to walk In
that way!: Truly, began to grow! As the
days and the weeks went on could even feel
myself growing. growing in grace, growing In
charity, putting aside such narrow creeds and
preiudices as had been part Of my INFRINGING.
and wholesome FOR the girl, but cramping, dis
torting and warping to the woman. Life! Lifei
seething all shout me- The life of a great city,
its riches, its poverty. its sin. its virtue. fits
was IN it, This life was no longer like piano.
rama spread out before to look at simply, to
smile or weep over and then turn away my eye.
from beholding it. entered it and. while I
was humanity after all and large a pas. haa
environment and circumstance In the making OF
character and the holding Of destiny.
After the removal of the urgent need
for large and certain income, Miss Banks
returned to England and took UP her for
mer role Of an independent literary wo-
| man, writing for many OF the leading
magazines Of both countries. Previous
to her autobiography she had written sew
eral books, dealing with her own expert
ences. In her closing chapter Miss Banks
declares that for the future she will cease
to be her own heroine, by writing only
her own experiences on account Of max
ing things happen She exalts her pro-
I. fession as a journalist, and declares that
one is entitled to take pride even In the
= pot-boilinE process
She does not Ike many who have
passed the first milestones Of success seek
to deter all others from following her ex-
ample. but, on the contrary, answers the
question Of the aspirant who asks whether
she shall enter the profession, yes, If you
arc ready Martha Scott Anderson.