The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-25
A STORY OF SUCCESS AND FAIL
 URE.
New York Evening Sun.

New York Evening Sun.
 Bartley Campbell had about four years of such exquisite enjoyment as is permitted to very few. men. But he lacked moral fibre, and his great suc- cesses overwhelmed him. When he found money rolling in in fashion that promised really great wealth in 8 very few years he seems to have sought excitement of different kind, which should balance the exhilaration and surprise that he found in the splendid change of fortune that came in @ night. The safeguard for men of Campbells temperament at such times is the family, and he had charming one. But he sent his to Europe, and although he lavished all the money they needed upon them, yet he was beyond the restraining influences of domesticity, and 1t is no doubt par tially due to this that he is to-day dead, as he has been intellectually dead for two years and more.
 We suppose that Campbell's career will become historic as that of the one American, not an actor, who made a distinct pecuniary success as play wright. It is, indeed, pity that he should have collapsed on the threshold of career which, with man of sterner resolve and greater self-con- trol, might perhaps have paralleled that of any of the winners of great pecuniary prizes in dramatic compo- sition. The fact that Campbell actually became famous and stepped over the threshold which divides poverty from wealth in one night is known to every one. But there are some interesting and highly suggestive incidents con- nected herewith, which it is now pos sible to tell for the first time. In the early spring of 1877, Campbell turned up in New York almost in extremity. He was indebted to friends for the bed on which he slept, and when he did not meet a friend he was frequently compelled to go hungry. He haunted one or two newspaper offices, and sold a little matter, and was extremely grateful for the aid thereby obtained. But great as was his poverty, he had 8 characteristic Irish way of living in the clouds and never betraying any of the servility of dependency which usually beset the person who is far. to the bad pecuniarily.
 One day in June, 1879, Campbell met friend on Broadway. The day was warm, and yet Campbells coat he always wore 8 long tailed frock- was buttoned up to the chin. All sorts of reflections were possible at this queer midsummer garb, but Campbell was as light and trifiing as though he had Q bank book in his pocket and 8 breakfast in his stomach. The friend pretended that he was just going to lunch, and invited Campbell to so with him. If the playwright did not understand the delicacy of the invita- tion when it was given, he could not have failed to do 90 when he saw the lunch, and he paid his entertainer the compliment of eating 6 tenderloin steak as if he were hungry. As they separated Campbelfs friend said: "I suspect your ship hasn't come in, Bartley, and I want you to take this to remember me by." The "this" was 6 ive-dollar bill. Campbell took it with easy grace, smiled, declared that he would return 1t with interest, and he did. He afterward said this i've dollar bill was the turning point In his fortune. With it he bought some paper and a couple of lead pencils. The paper wxs of the cheapest kind of white wrapping paper, and on it in two days time he wrote that act of "My Partner" which made his for tune. .@
 With . wad of this paper in his pocket he sailed out of his lodgings to find Louis Aldrich, who had won re- pute in Joaquin Miller's play of "The Danites." Aldrich gave . sigh of res- ignation when Campbell cornered him, and thought the easiest way to rid himself of what he feared would be . bore was to permit Campbell to read the play. The playwright, with hia fiimsy sheets in hand, began. At first Aldrich was bored, then entertained, then interested, then excited, and then, with dramatic enthusiasm, embraced the collarless playwright.
 Aldrich became moro enthusiastic than Campbell, and promised at once to buy the play, and gave the play wright some earnest money on the spot. So enthusiastic was Aldrich that he wanted to mount the play and produce 1t at once.
 Behold, then, on the next morning an ambitious author with some money