The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-06
Girl conquered
New York In.
Single Week

1 -
How can young woman who wants
to write or draw just .'bust" right
into New York city from the wilds OF
Texas. Sandusky, Ohio, Aor Farming
ton, Ne, and make good vhe first day?
How can she hypnotic those editors
and publishers and sell 'em her book
or drawings as quick as a cat can wink
its eye, and then go right up to the
Waldorf or the Ritz in a yellow and
white and avoid the subway rush and
all that bothersome attic business OF
starving to. death on bread and cheese
It's easy I!
1T CAN be done! Absolutely ?!
If you don't believe it ask Miss Ruth
Cross, who. did just that and more.
Miss Cross blew into New York city
from the w-iI-d-s Of Texas, sold her
first novel, "The Golden Cocoon
which has just been published by Har-
per's this month; story to the Sat
urday Evening Post, booked one-act
a play to one of the most famous pro-
big bang like that.
But wait minute, girls, don't pack
your trunk yet until you finish read
ing this. article. There's secret-you
can bet. 1t wasn't her first trip!
mo, it wasn't my first trip" ad-
mitted the very feminine and very
charming Miss Ruth Cross, author Of
1.-THE Golden Cocoon" a Saturday Eve
ming Post story, etc., ETC., etc. And
that is probably why I met with so
much good luck
"Just like that" we said with snap
of the thumb and an index finger.
Miss Cross has a delightful suite of
rooms at No. IL West 69th street. A
piano, a divan, a desk and a telephone
AL instruments of recreation and
workaday hours-suggest that, after
all, this is the only way to work. What
can one do in an attic room!
at was that first tripz-those first
days in an attic-which made my work
acceptable at once this time" said Miss
Cross after we persuaded her to just
tell us all about herself so that other
girls might learn how to do it and not
be discouraged if they too have to make
a second or third trip.
"You see, when girl first comes
to New York she fairly loses her
BREATH" continued Miss Cross. There
is something so big and glaring and inn
posing about this wonderful city that
she loses all her poise of Main street
and feels like crawling away somewhere
to hide, herself. Probably her porto
lilo is chock full Of manuscript or draw
ings. but when she looks at them here
in this big, sophisticated city they look
hack at her with all the flaws and de-
fects Of amateur production. They
L. hon
Main street, but here-why there's moth
ing to do but go back home and think
it all overt"
"And then?" &
.'It's the going back home again that
gives one courage. You get all your
grit back again plus the stimulus and
inspiration of a big city. You know
what the city wants now, you've talked
to editors, publishers and few of the
men and women who are really doing
things in life. You start again and
this time you are sure of your, work.
You throw away all those first green
bits of effort and now you produce
something that the market wants"
"Then?" -
That's the time to burst right back
again and sell YOUR manuscript. You've
had all the thrills and surprises the
first time You are sure of yourself
now. Broadway looks as familiar as
Main street back home, and even the
editors and publishers begin to look
like the men folks back home.
"And if. girl goes hack home and
keeps busy for a year or so-making
her work the best she knows how
and then makes a second trip to New
York city-why-it's perfectly clear
sailing ]"