Page:The Afro-American Press.djvu/390

382 domain, where her career was brief, lasting but one short season.

All this time she was attending the girls' high school, and additional and more difficult studies claiming her undivided time and attention, she was obliged to close her lecture career. She could not be induced to give up her studies in music and elocution, but pursued them for a year or more.

Upon graduating from the high school she immediately turned her attention to literary work, and the next winter was spent in the preparation of a novel, "Idalene Van Therse," which is not yet published. Shortly after, she began newspaper work, and contributed special articles to The Boston Advocate. The Advocate, at that time, was the victim of much adverse criticism, and was rapidly losing ground with its Boston readers. Miss Lewis at once perceived the cause, and immediately set about to meet the exigency, if possible. Her aim was to edit a column of matter that would take with all classes and all ages, and the result was the "They say" column, which has for about two years become proverbial with readers of The Advocate. At first the paragraphs were short, crisp, and breezy; but later on Miss Lewis began to add comments and criticisms on what "they say," which was a happy thought, and made the column more attractive than before. The Advocate soon began to regain its former popularity, and subscribers increased, until to-day there is scarcely a colored family of intelligence in Boston that does not read The Advocate and Bert Islew's gossip.

A short while ago, Mr. Powell, the proprietor and editor of The Advocate, offered Miss Lewis the society editorship, which she accepted, and which position she now fills; and what was generally known as "They say" column, is now virtually the society department of the paper. While writing for The Advocate, Miss Lewis contributed to The Richmond