National Republican., 1888-03-18
THE AUTHORS READINGS
Az INTELLECTUAL AUDIENCE GREETS
NONELISTS AND POETS.
Cause of the American Copyright
League-Brainy Men Read, Recite.
or Tell stories-J. whitcomb Riley's
EIopntion.

than the one which filled to Comforta-
hlc extent the Congregational Church yes
tcrday afternoon but rarely gathers under
one roof in any city, and never has an
nssemblage been treated to literary feast
that surpassed the Programmes as rendered
hy some of the best known American au-
thors who make this day and generation
glad with the creatures of their fancy.
on the platform were seated the vener-
pblc George Bancroft, and by his side was
Ir. yelling, Of Columbian University.
The others-members of the American
Copyright Icague-were Edmund Clar-
ence Stedman, Edward Eggleston, Will
lam Dean Howells Richard Watson
Glider, Thomas w. Knox, j. WhitcOmb
Riley, Frank Stockton, and Hjalmar Boye-
son.
Dr. yelling opened the proceedings by
stepping to the front and making neat
little speech, in which he welcomed the
authors--welcOmed them for themselves,
for their works, and for the. cause they
represented.
Mr.. Edmund Clarence stedman, vice
president of the league, responded TO the
| professors remarks. He said that nothing
could have put the authors more at their
ease than to be presented in such kindly
way by the president of the Washington
branch of the Copyright League. They
were at home Mt once He paid "A graceful
tribute to Mr.. Bancroft, and then went on
to. discuss the business proposition with
which they were wrestling. lie con-
demned the wrong that robbed the English
author of the product of his hand and
brain. He said the American Brotherhood
and Sisterhood of Literary Fellows was
out on strike against the labor of foreign
authors which is not paid for at ALL This
was the right time to acknowl-
edge confidentially that the Ameri-
cans were, also speaking for them
were on strike. They had not yet resorted
to desperate measures. He would not
harrow the audience with forecast of the
pail that would cover the land if poets
should stop singing, novelists cease story
telling, and historians cut short their epi-
sodes of the war. The audiences that had
received them assured them Il future, if
only as a starring company. He said that
some of those before them had made sue
Cessful experiments, and added: "ro be
sure, not every one can be, like Mr..
Clemens, his own Harper & Brothers and
his own Edwin Booth But, if half q
dozen new travelling companies should
start out, what q sensation there would be
among our friends and allies-the dra-
matte artists. Towns may yet be billed
with posters ofthe Howells- Bishop realis-
| tic combination, the romantico dramatic
| Hawthorne, Cable and Craddock troupe,
| or the Glider and Drummer melodists, or
| the Johnston and Page Georgia and Old
| Dominion varieties in black and white,
or the Eggleston-Riley, Old Homestead
| Company-to guess at about one-tenth of
the organizations that might hopefully
take to the road"
Mr.. Stedman showed concusively how
the national dishonesty reacted upon
American authors, and expressed the
hope and the hope of the league that the
Chace copyright bill would become a law
ofthe land.
Mr. Stedman then remarked that the
committee could have done no better than
to commence the programme with Sc
lection by an author whC was an A.neri-
can from the Crown of his head to the sole
I or 1Ity fertz-aud that was no seant meas
ure-the creator of the "Hoosier School
master" Edward Eggleston. At this the
thor walked up to the reading desk, and
with a predatory apology, commenced to
read"A Bold Stroke fora Horse, IAN unpub-
lished chapter from 'The Graysons." His
reading was natural, and the deep voice
was distinctly heard in all parts of the
church. Atlthe conclusion of the reading,
Mr.. Eggleston announced that it would
be continued in the magazine, and his ad-
vertisment was received with laughter
and applause.
He was followed by William Dean
Howells, a well rounded figure, neatly
dressed, his closely cut hair beinga decided
contrast to the bushy hirsute adornment
Of his immediate predecessor. Mr..
Howells's voice was pleasing, but too low
and in distinct, and the famous novelist
has none of the elocutionists art
The audience, however, generally en-
ioyed the reading, especially that portion
which described Lemuel Barker's appear
ance when he called upon the minister at
his home in Boston. The selection was
rather long, but its conclusion was heartily
applauded.
Mr.. Stedman, in few PREDATORY re-
marks spoke Of Richard Watson Glider
as man who did more for authors than
any one else, and then introduced the
editor of the Century to the audience. He
read two of his poems "On the Life Mask
of Abraham Lincoln" and THE Burial OF
lowed his reading had died away he was
presented with n beautiful pot in which
bloomed q lovely flower
Mr.. Stedman said that the stars in their
course had fought against the authors
readings The blizzard had taken away
some of their voices and had captured two
Of their bodies. for Charles Dudley War
ner and II. c. Bunner were showed in
He would therefore call upon a gentleman
who was always ready, who could swing
his lasso and take in all the world-Mar
Twain.
The gentleman referred to, clad in
blue suit that looked as though it ha
been thrown on him, walked slouchingl
10 the front, and in his inimitable draw
programme without any malice of his own
He believed he was as good u man a
Warner, perhaps better-no; that wa
wrong, he meant Just the opposite. '"Th
state Of Connecticut" said he-"you may
speak of it as the late state o
Connecticnt-is covered up with snow
and SO is Warner; The great New York
Railroad is shut up, and the 5000 men
who are digging arc, digging for Warner
and they are doing II for you when they
get him out he'll be here" He referred
to the fact that his wife was also showed
up, making his position most pathetic
one, but he was most especially troubled
about Warner. He then related an ex-
perience in Nevada, u sketch of which
may be found elsewhere in this paper
During his encounter with the audience
the applause and laughter was almost
continuous.
Thomas W. Knox took the place of II
G. Bunner On the programme and read
most acceptably Hunting the Grizzly
Bear" an extract from his book, THE
Young Nimrods." Mr., Knox was consid-
erably the largest man on the platform, g
fine speciman Of humanity His voice
and manner were both good, and he was
cordially thanked by the audience.
Mr.. Stedman read dispatch from
Charles Dudley Warner, who said he
would be on for Mondays readings.
The last author on the programme was
j. Whitcomb Riley, and he captured the
audience almost instantly with his dialect
sketch Of q western farmer sOlilOuuiZinp
on the weather and other alleged ills thai
worry a portion of mankind The rendi
tion was a remarkable piece of clocution
and the last verse closed delightfully."-
with
The world Is full of roses,