The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-10
The Authors Readings" at New
York for the IL sne fit OF the
Interna uonai Copy
right League.
Interesting Pen Pictures or Goodly
Number Of Famous and Favorite
Writers.
Might "Jump" rhoir Mutual
Accounts
LNem YORK Letter 10 PIone. Press.

From a broad and permanent point OF
view, the most interesting event OF the week
has been the authors readings" that took
place yesterday and to day at the Madison
Square Theater. 1t was not only an enter
tainment, but ii was a novel entertainment
"a new departure which 10 likely to be fol-
lowed by more OF the came sort. Ia reading
from their own works, American authors
have distinct monopoly; even q copyright
law is not essential. The morning papers OF
the city to-day treat the readings OF yester-
day indiferently. il not fippantly. The Sun
gave the affair few lines only. The Herald
declares that the authors read their works
poorly, and that they bad better give up try
ing. The World likens the entertainment to
a minstrel show, with George William Car
ts as middleman and II Stoddard and o.
b. Bunce for endmen," and adds that they
o1ght to have been numbered with tags, and
that they al had solemn, Eden.Musee ex-
preston throughout the entire afternoon"
Even ths Tribune fails 10 give anything like
report of what was really an important
event. For authors to read from their own
works is not a new thing under the sun.
Virgil sad to resd bis verses to the King; Sir
Walter Sect gave p part Of the LADY OF the
Lake" before more than one audience.
Dickens and Thackersy both followed his ex.
ample. Longfellow used to read the utter
ances OF his muse in Boston, and the oldest
ard greatest OF living authors, Victor Hugo,
was twenty years ago ratner fond of the SOUND
OF his own voice In the same sort of exercise
During q reception whicn [ attended at Vic
tor Hugo's house, in the Rue de Victor Hugo
In Paris, three years ago, By the way, q terri
BILE female infant OF the American species
broke forth III the recitation of one of his
finest poems. He sank back in the chair aud
looked bored. Every thing must come to an
end a. last, and che did. He thanked her
and rallied her pet names; then silly turned
TO q friend at his right and said soto voce
But do not like to hear any body recite
my things.'
OLD FRIENDS.
When the pretty clrrain OF the pretty the
alter rose yesterday, it revealed an uncom.
mon eight. Fitiy N IN were nnassed, sitting
IN = semi circle at the rear of the stage. Ia
the middle OF tie crescent was q large chair,
usianing the now rather portly figure OF
George William Curtis. lie has quite lost
the sleek and Snug lok OF thirty years ago,
when his hair was dark and long, his nut
ton-chop whiskers close trimmed. his fac,
dandyish of ali cur lit:erateurs except n. 7.
Willis His hair and whiskers are nov grey
and left TO run riot. like q wild vine in an
tumn; hiseye is a led; and the lines OF ca e
and yesrs have plowed up mis- fallow face
and buried his brilliant smile. Iemeiiately
~ bis right hand sat Julian Hawthorne, a
refined and handsome young man, with
rambling curly hair, not severely shocking
ones ideal. Behind him sat Whitelaw Reid
and behind him again, half-hidden. was
Glider, editor OF the Century his light brown
hair and beard and twinkliDg eve occasion.
ally visible. At Reid's right sat Thorndy <
Rice and stranger would not be likely ~
take him for the man who has had the pluck
TO put so many ellmpses of the twenti eth
century into the North American Review.
AT Rice's Right reciined in an easy chair the
portly form of Roswell Smith, publisher OF
the Century, mistaken by some of the audi.
ence Tor the absent Charles Dudley Warner
and these three were the chief publishers
present Behind Rice was T.. X. Muakit.
trick, with head three sizes too big for him
and q droll and humorous face that sdver-
tises him as one OF the editors of Pack. At
Mr.. Curtis extreme right was q sofa against
the tiies. on which sat tall ,emaculated gen.
tleman with eyes of fire, a short, chubby,
laughing gentleman in brown cutsway
coat, and n burly gentleman. much bswhisk-
cred and more beannsd. The last named
was Colonel Thomas w. Knox, the tourist
laureate; the one at the other end was Frank
Stockton, father OF the Rudder Grange nee.
pie and q numerous ideal progeny; the mid
die man was Yalmer Yorth Boyesen--if I
msy spell his Morse name as ii Is pronounced
Behind Mr.. Curtis left shoulder was Will
Carleton, light haired, keeneyed peak.facsd,
an impersonetion Of his Farm Ballads"
and reprosch to his boarding house keeper.
In front OF him sat first ,a.e hotel adver.
tisement, weighing two hundred and some.
thing, With 3 fat face, pIdgy hand. ard a
lietiess attitude. This was w. ID. Howells
editor OF the Atlantic and author of 50 much
that is delicate and refined in our literature.
His black hair has strands of white in it, and
short barg hangs straight down upon his
forehead. People looked upon him and said,
lis this the author oil Oar Wedding Jour.
neyT" At CarletcL's left struggled away to
the wings o number of well known faces
Edgar Fawcett, trying TO get behind some
body. but revealing now sAd then his i'm
mense head, his smooth. plump face, blue
eyes Narrow Il anne and fau!tless attire;
George p. Lathrop. the historian, some what
Jeseasblirg Bsyard Taylor, especially since
he began 70 grow fu'i hesrd; Andrew Car.
nesie, about the only mil iaire am ong our
men OF letters: Robert Uohyer, mistaken by
many fer Henry Ward Bsecher; +. Hopkin.
sen Smith, author and actor, Government
contractor, breakwstsr builder. artist of the
first class and Que OF the best dialect read.
ers; Dr. Edward Eggleston aud several 9th.
ere. At the extreme wings wsrs o. B. Bnnce,
Appiston's editor, and K. II. Stoddard-the
hrst bald as . lapstone the second gray as q
beaver.
THE PROGRAMME.
The pfertaisment wss given for the ben.
etit OF the International Copyright League,
and . royal bsneit it was. When I went on
Tuesday to buy my tickets learned tina! ell
the boxes and all the seats except four were
sold, and they were then selling standing
privileges in the gallery for 81 Not since il
wae built has the Madison Square theater
had any ouch audience in it, either in point
of character or numbers. met Mr.. A. N.
Palmer. the manager, in the lobby surveying