The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-15
POTTER
SPENDS EVENINGS
AMONG GRAVES
Mcintyre Says His Owl
ish Seriousness Is Due
To Indigestion.
BY o. o. M'INTYRE.


NEW YORK. Jan. i4.-verne
Hardin Porter is one of New
York's youngest magazine editors.
At 30 he edits the Cosmopolitan and
calls Booth Harrington. George
AIDE, Meredith Nicholson and others
by their first names. He even calls
Wells "Erb."
In looks he is the magazine edi-
tor of popular imagination. He
wears ponderous horn-rimmed
glasses, heavy fur coats and carries
cane. But he is quite human with
al. Porter was born in the State Of
Washington and began his career
on string OF high-powered news
papers that appeal to 1.-The man in
pers."
At Is no was city editor of one
in st. Paul and he used to excuse
himself to the stan on the plea OF
stepping out to get a shave just to
appear manly and grown up. What
he did was to go out and spin
tops. Or pitch pennies with news
boys in the alley.
He had gone through the migra-
tory days OF tramp newspaper work
and settled in Salt Lake City be-
cause he always thought some time
he might like to try out some Of
Brigham Young's ideas. when he
was there he met Maude Adams,
who Is native.
He secured her consent to write
her LIES story-something editors
had wanted for years and years.
He wired to Ray Leng. who was
then editor of the Red Book, and
Long slid down the brass pole and
galloped out to Salt Lake, signed
on the dotted line and brought Por-
ter back to Chicago with him. max
ing him editor of the Green Book.
1t was a good job for a green
editor and Porter wrote Of fast life
in New York and the theatrical
roar in a Washington street board.
ing house In Chicago. Long came
to New York as one of Hearsts
poobahs and Porter went to Los
Angeles where he thought up Gus
tard pie plots right out of his head
for the cinema comedians.
He bought a house at Venice be-
cause II was close to the Ship Cafe
where they had fine jazz band,
and settled down TO the life Of be-
ing > one of California's coast
defenders" Three years ago Long
wired him to come to New York
and our hero came. vedid. vicid.
His New York home is at Muir
rays. where they have revolving
dance floors. right in the midrift OF
what is left OF New York's night
life. The glare Of the great White
Way makes his sleeping quarters
as light as day in the pitch black
hours. And there Porter remains
awake while other folR sleep.
reading Hardy. Anatole France and
Dickens.
exciting evening he goes down to
Trinity at midnight and browses
about among the forgotten graves.
happy life is his first name. Peo-
rle write to him as Miss Verde
Porter" and start off, Dear
Madam" He tried to drop the
Verne and become plain one-gal-
fused Hardin Porter but he couldn't
make people take him seriously.
He has written several books but
his secret desire is to write poetry
things about the moon. ripping
waters and spreading elms. Some
times he will so all day without
eating and then dash out to some
white tiled cafeteria and gorge on
pickles, ice cream and beef stews.
That Is why he always looks so
owlishly serious. like an editor. II
isn't intellectually. Merely indi-
gestion.
lust now he Is crossing the con-
tinent in an automobile with Frank
r. Adams. the short-story writer,
Porter bought the automobile from
a man who told him II was a 1920
model. not thinking of course Por-
ter would take him seriously. Al
the last report, three weeks ago.
they were nearing Passaic and 60
ing strong. A post card from him
reads: This is the life" which
shows that a man can be an editor
and still be an optimist.