The Washington herald., 1914-04-12
By ISABEL sTEPHENs.

High up on the fifteenth foor of a
New York skyscraper Is the sanctum
of Miss Gaibraith welch. confidential
adviser of many Of Americas greatest
authors. There she shoulders the wor-
ries of brilliant men and women. who.
after they have given birth to won
derful brain children, lack the busi-
ness acumen necessary to start them
on the proper road to financial success
In reading the lives OF successful
authors We learn OF the long. weary
| journeys they made in the beginning
OF their careers from one editorial
ONCE to another before reaching the
one TO which their work was suited.
Nowadays the author goes to an ex-
pert literary agent, who has his finger
on the pulse of every publishing house
in the country. and let's the matter
rest there until he is advised of the
success of his work. II the agent
cannot place the work. it is ninety
nine chances in a hundred that the
author himself could not have done so.
Miss Welch was born in South Da-
kota. where her father was president
Of national bank. When she was
six months old. however a cyclone
swooped down and carried OF the roof
Of their house, and her parents decided
that It was no place TO raise a frail
child. The family. therefore, moved
eastward TO find some less strenuous
climate. While she was still a child.
Miss Welchs father was made London
correspondent of the New York Times.
and she herself in time took up liter
ary work
1t was when was about twenty-five
years Of age" Miss WelCh told me when
I interviewed her in her eyrie, that a
literary agency in London sent me over
to New York to open an American
branch. / had had no business train
ing. but l had a large acquaintance
among authors and perhaps, a modicum
Of good common sense. 1 was always
a good listener. and what l didn't know
I made point OF discovering. There is
no obstacle so great that II cannot be
overcome by the use of common sense.
A woman, as a rule. is too apt to take
her difficulties to some man. any man. |
and ask his advice. The widow who is
left with several thousand dollars will go
TO her pastor and ask his advice as TO |
its investment. instead of going to some |
expert who would be able to show her !
the most advantageous use to which IL |
could be put
Also many women make n great mis- |
take in business in using artificial aids |
in dealing with men II n woman makes |
a mistake in the business of n man for |
whom she is working she may go to him |
looking very pretty and appealing and !
make her excuse, and he will overlook |
IL: she may go to him a second time. |
and get away with it, perhaps, but the
odds are that she won't have the chance
to 20 third time.
I'm order to make q success OF any
business or profession, a woman must
ask no favors because of her sex. In
dealing with men she must put her pro-
position in a straightforward manner.
without any feminine frills attached to
ID. 1t is as incongruous for 4 woman
to bring her personal element into an
office as It would be for her to wear
an evening frock during business hours
The profession of literary agent is
still limited and undeveloped. but II is a
good field for a woman with the proper
However. II requires a great