The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-15
Chat With Florence.

An AUTHOR, AN ACTOR, AND A SPORTSMAN
SOME or HIS DISTINGUISHED FRIENDS, &c.
~ will in a second introduce YOU to an
actor and IN author"
"Au auihori"
~ assure you, yes; an author, and &
Well-knOwn author, too"
The first speaker was friend OF Mr.. w.
J. Florence, now filling an engagement at
Holiiday-Street Theatre; his somewhat sur
prised conp01n0n de ciSite was a Gazette
reporter.
And so il proved, for when We were
ushcred into the reception-room Of the
popular comedian ut the Carrollton Hotel
nc war in the act Of concluding the closing
sentence OF huge foolscap page of Ms.
"In fact" said Mr.. Florence, 81 am. as
you see, but an Indifferent author. As you
no doubt have seen, j am but an indifferent
actor"
at is only you who would dare to bear
witness to the last statement" was the
quick reply, "fOr you would find world
Of witnesses against YOU"
The truth was Mr.. Florence was busily
engaged in writing his annual Christmas
story for the Spirit Of the Times. This is
a sort of annual custom with this popular
actor, and he later in the afternoon pleaded
guilty TO some twenty or thirty sketches
for the London periodicals during his visit
10 the worlds metropolis. That FLOR
ence is as good an author as he is IN
actor would be venturing too much in
deed, but that he is much bettcr,alI-
thor than any 0theE. .aeieI.o'ggS,e3, yperbons
w Ulig, = ,a@s J&5Tity" true. But the story
.HfcP the clever actor is writing for the
present Christmas No. Of the New York
paper was laid aside while he talked most
courteously TO the Gazette representative.
lie spoke modeStly OF his acquaintance
with the President OF the United States, OF
bis friendship with the Prince Of Wales,
and his famous audience with the Pope.
Only when he was speaking OF salmon-iish-
ing did he allow the full tide OF his enthu-
siasm to flow unrestained. The salmon
fishing of sothern and Florence in Saliva
dor is already famous, in speaking OF which
Florence let slip the secret OF his cordial
relations with the President.
"The President" said the actor, sis Il
great mon-iisher-perhaps the most sue
cessfu in the States" And then he cXhib-
tied letter from Arthur, received i'll the
late fall OF 1880, which would be rich trea-
sure for an autograph-seeker if he could get
it. While the actor talked the reporter lis
tened. One thing he said, perhaps not for
publicatiOn-but let that go-waS that Conk-
ling, whom he knows well and has seen re-
Gently, is really very sick, and not able, ii
he wished, to attend TO public affairs.
$50 he is out of politics for the present.
said Mr.. Florence, "as / know" From
Dolitics the conversation driited TO the
famous Florence trip to England. Mr..
Florence was entertained socially at all the
London clubs. and was one Of the hOnored
guests at the breakfast given by the Savage
Club to American actor, and he, rs one OF
the oldest fayoritcS with the English pub
lie, acknowledged the compliment thus
paid to America. He noted the contrast in
the social position OF actors now from what
it was when he was Il boy, remarking that
then "actors found Il difficulty in getting
breakfasts at all, to say nothing OF rcceiv-
ing complimentary Ones."- Baltimore Ga
geffe