Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-18

not prepared to say that his ''proofs' did not
invite careful reading; for don't think he
ever mastered the habit he had OF luxuriant
writing; and his luxuriance was sometimes a
little impatient of grammatical and rhetoric
III restraints. He was capital standby in
dry times, when space in the paper was
large and the amount of actual news where
with to fill it was small. He could sell up"
to an indefinite extent and in the most pict-
uresque fashion. One of his newspaper am
bltions was to be correspondent of the
graphic" school; and another was to be a
society" writer Of authority and elegance.
THE THEATER, ALWAYS.
But think there never was day when,
IN the bottom of his heart, both these ambi-
tions, and all other ambitions connected with
newspaper work, were not subject to
stronger one that at that time seemed far less
likely to be gratifed. To be successful
newspaper writer of any sort was not the ul-
innate purpose he had, no matter what he
may have thought about it. In the time of
our association together he used to talk to
me very freely about his aspirations; asking
my advice and then disposing Of it as advice
is generally disposed OF. And from the
nature OF his talk certainly did not expect
him to remain in the newspaper harness so
eagerness toward the far-off time when be
would be able to take his place in the field
of ''pure literature" That he made known
to me not once, but many times. He would
write romances; and, If he could get any en-
couragement, he would write plays.
That last was the masterful ambition, I
early discovered. He always spoke of doing
this in connection with journalism. But his
real thought was to do it in place of jour-
nalistic work. To be q successful play
wright-that was the desirable thing. To
have good newspaper connection would be
a capital accessory to the other, but-"the
plays the thing" And already, even be-
fore he had mastered that first police item,
he secretly considered himself maker of
plays. And once, at least, very early in his
career as a reporter, he demanded-and re-
ceived-recognition as dramatist.
AN ARTISTIC DEADHEAD.
Late one night he came into the office and
proposed to write notice of some per-
formance which had taken place, not at one
of the regular theaters. Now knew that
in the distribution of tickets to this enter
tainment none had gone into Bartley's pos
session; and mentioned the fact to him in
the manner of an inquiry. He replied in
the most matter-of-course way; not boast
fully, but as If it were something only
needed to be reminded Of:
"Oh, I had no use for a'ticket. I went in |
as professional.
"As what?"
why, a professional. I told them had |
written plays, and told them the names of |
the pieces. There was no difficulty about |
it,"
And actually that enterprising youth
had calmly walked past the guards oil a
high class dramatic entertainment, on the
strength of having written sundry plays
which as yet no manager had seen and no
audience had heard ofl
From the beginning, whenever there was
any delay of my assistants return from a
tour for news, the ent1cements at one or an
other of the tbeaters were always sufficient
to account for the tardiness Whatever the
hour OF the day or evening, the sight of an
actor or manager in front of one of the
theaters was sufficient to bring him to halt
Tor an indefinite time, no matter how full
his notebook might be, or how wildly the
foreman might be clamoring. 1t seemed
hat the atmosphere of the play house was
.he natural breath of his nostrils, and he
,ould not forego the breathing Of it. And
f the occasion did not offer, perhaps it could
Do made to offer.
ALWAYS ABLE TO INTEREST.
I remember one day seeing Manager Can
ling and some newly arrived star of the
lrst efferson, think-en-
,aged in conversation. The conference
ould hardly be called a private one, for
everal people were standing about, although
aking no part in the talk. Among these
vas young BARLEY Campbell. Something
hat was said attracted his attention and
ave him his cue. He stepped forward and
Without the slightest embarrassment tossed
remark in between the other two. In an
ther minute he was in the iulI tide of their
taking his full share, and
eeming to interest them as much as they in
crested him.
Later 1 asked him when he had made the
Of that eminent artist.
Just that minute" he replied.
Eccentric? Yes, it must be conceded that
'artiey Campbell was that. But when 1
new him he was genuinely good-hearted,
kind, cordial friend aud good
orker in the field he had undertaken to
lltivate. Whether the successes of his
tier years rendered him less cordially and
friend I know not; for when
lat time came we were lar apart and I saw I
othing of him. >
iccesses or his failures. That has been
one to the utmost limit by Others Every
nality claimed for him has been called in 6
nestion and denied by his critics But O
ere is still.standing the one decisive fact !
hich no critical dictum has been able to
pset: Whether or not Barley Campbell n
as able to write good English; whether or h
IT he put any original ideas into his work; u
neither or not he wrote things that con- h
rmed in no degree to the requirements of \
ste and artistic judgment-still the work
, did had the rare and valuable merit of 4
teresting the public. 1t interests the h
iblic even yet. And the man who can F
hieve that must have some genuine stuff ii
him! JAMES G. PURDY.