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ARNOLD BENNETT,
It does not seem to be known to many
of his admirers that Arnold Bennett
served an apprenticeship to the practical
side of iournalism on a weekly paper
called 'Woman.' This paper was founded
and edited by Fitzroy Gardiner, a brilliant
man in his way, who subsequently sold his
interest in the publication and was for
several years associated (behind the
scenes) with the FollieB. Mr. Gardiner,
us Bennett has said, 'adored smartness.'
He coined for the cover of 'Woman' the
slogan, 'Forward but not ttoo fast;' and
when he wanted a sub-editor he advertised
his need in an evening paper — The Pall
Mall Gazette— because he decided that the
sort of young man he wanted for his
assistant was the sort of young man who
would read that particular paper. Mr.
Bennett answered- the advertisement, al
though he knew nothing whatever about
editorial work, and was, in fact, a solici
tor's clerk, engaged in preparing bills of
ccsts and writing shorthand at a salary
of £200 a- year. He had, however, been
devoting his . spare time to free-lance
journalism with a fair amount of success,
and he enclosed with his application speci
mens of his printed work. These speci
mens were smart,' consequently they
pleased Fitzroy Gardiner. And Mr. Bon
r.ett threw Up the law for a job which
occupied one whole day and four half-days
a week at £150 a year. :
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