New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR OCTOBER 49, 1917

agents: for, TO make the public accept his
star at a two-dollar valuation, the hlreling
must not display her for nothing.
If part of the cages were not kept closed
during circus parade there would be fewer
thousands scrambling for seats at the Red
Wagon. If Miss Adams had paraded Broad
Wav every day, "Peter Pan would not have
u,n for wears. If Dazzle had not danced in
red mask for two months, she would not be
Getting twelve hundred dollars week now.
If the white house across the street opened
IFS shutters every day, no one would point
it, whisper, and wonder what mysteries
II hid. Many murder stories would never
have sent shivers up and down our spnes
had they not been aided by incognlto ladies
dressed in clinging black gowns and heavy
wells.
The press agent must have imagination;
but he must realize that the public is SINH
larlv equipped, and likes to make use OF the
equipment. This latter statement needs no
illustration; but in the interests OF the lmagl-
native apparatus of the poor publicity pro-
moter | should like to tell story.
GONE years ago a big musical comedy
- came to Broadway after weeks try
out through New England. 1t had some
tuneful music and a raft of pretty girls, few
of whom had been seen before on the metro,
noIitan stage. But it failed TO catch on, and
nv the middle of the second week the wise
ones put it among the seasons failures:
Confronted by the possibility OF no salary
when Saturday came, the agent OF the show
sought a dark corner where he could think
G,ick and hard. An idea finally arrived,
and he visited the leading lady IN her gorge,
ouslv furnished apartments. 10 her ne READ
the awful future, and then untolded his plan
She went to the telephone, called up num-
her in the Wall Street district, and after a
short and honeved conversation came back
with the announcement that the scheme was
O. K, that she would have the check at the
theater that night, and that she was game
for ANYTHING. With a bundle Of hitherto I'M
published photographs Of this lfe-savlng te-
male under his arm, he jumped on car and
hustled to Park Row.
Next morning the front page OF every
New York paper carried an account OF how
this pleasure-loving leading lady, rather
than be deprived of the opportunity to see
the BROOKLYN Handicap, had presented her
management with her check for twenty
seven hundred anu MY NOhe'IS, IILC N"P''~'S-
of the theater for Saturday afternoon, and
would visit the race track together with six
Of the prettiest girls in her company. They
would be her guests, and there would be no
show. Pictures Of the leading woman and a
reproduction Of the check accompanied these
stories.
The stunt. as thousands Of New Workers
will remember, was actually carried out.
The bevv Of beauties-and they were stun,
ners,-left on the top Of a four-in-hand
coach. Photographers snapped them en-
route, and the pictures appeared in the
evening papers. At the race track the party
was the center Of a crowd Of twenty thou
sand spectators. The exquisite faces, fig
ures. and gowns Of the professional beauties
captivated every eye. Camera artists ran
out Of plates in the effort to make lasting
records Of Broadways victory over Fifth
ave.
When the races were over and the septet
returned to town, half the gilded youth OF
Manhattan and many Of their bald-headed