This is where the trail of the serpent shows. Mark you: it costs sums of money to be an Artist. The days when Genius burned the tallow dip at midnight in the garret are forever gone, for now, when everybody will have a commercial standing, the Artists’ Labor Union will permit of no more than eight hours labor each day. Here follows a choice bit: “No stock will be issued to other than writers of marked literary ability, and applicants for membership will be required to give as reference the names of one or more high-class publications to which they have contributed. Applications for stock will be referred to a committee on membership, and no stock will be transferable, except to such as are deemed entitled to membership by this committee.” _What_ is “marked literary ability,” and who does the marking? The factory, as it is now conducted, will consist of six departments. Following is a list of the Foremen and Forewomen to whom all complaints and applications for positions must be made: “Fiction, Ruth McEnery Stuart; Humor, R. K. Munkittrick; Washington, A. H. Lewis (Dan Quin); Juvenile, John Kendrick Bangs; Woman, Frances Bacon Paine; Agricultural, James Knapp Reeve.” The following paragraph did not seem to me to be quite complete, so I have filled out the things which were apparently forgotten in the hurry of getting this remarkable circular before the public: “Striking articles of adventure (true or false), discovery, achievement and special news are desired; also dramatic short stories, with or without action and not less than five per cent human interest, for young and old, especially the old; anecdotes, quaint, humorous and pathetic; novelettes, poems, jingles, verselets, squibs, squabs, jokes—everything, in fact, that will interest, comfort, amuse, harass or annoy the modern or ancient reader, thoroughly artistic in execution, will be available. “Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the statement that only high-class matter, especially prepared for the Combined Press, will be used at $150 a column, net. We solicit and will pay the highest cash prices for hides, tallow, horns and pelts. Also for sale, cement, wool (wild from the West), hair (Le Gallienne and Ibsen brands), bricks (with or without straw) and material for building a modern periodical. “The stock books will be closed on November fifteenth, in order to complete the organization and make contracts for the coming year, stock remaining unsold November fifteenth having been already arranged for by parties in New York City. “Address all communications to The Combined Press, 1128-1129 American Tract Building, New York. “Directors—John Kendrick Bangs, President; Ruth McEnery Stuart, Vice President; R. K. Munkittrick, Secretary; Albert B. Paine, Treasurer; A. H. Lewis (Dan Quin), Washington; James Knapp Reeve, Chief Geezer.”