The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-18
AUTHORS ON THE PLA1BORM.
The Combination of Cable and Field.
Mark Twnin's Experience.
lCnocial CorreanOpdencel


NEW YORK, Dec. BIT is announced
that George w. Cable and Eugene Field
have made an agreement to appear to-
gether in one Of those platform entertain
ments which have within the past few
years gained great popularity. Mark
Twain and Mr.. Cable were among the first
of authors to appear in a series Of public
readings. For some reason the venture
was not very successful, and the under
standing Is that this was due to business
rather than TO personal qualities. Mark
Twain did not like the platform, and it has
been stated that managers found him
rather severe stickler for all his rights.
The partnership between Mr.. Gable and
Eugene Field is regarded as a singularly
felicitous one. Each will read from his
own works, although Mr.. Gable is now so
accomplished a rhetorician that his read
ings are really Rotations.
Mr.. Cable has done little to increase his
reputation as novelist in recent years,
and his friends think that this is because
he is thoroughly familiar with only one
phase of American life-that one which he
describes so charmingly in his "Old Creole
Tales"
Mr.. Gable undoubtedly found, as so
many others have, that it is a precarious
support which the writing of fiction alone
gives, and for that reason he undertook
soma years ago TO arrange some of his
stories for public recitation. He studied
the rhetorical opportunities quite as care
fully az Charles Dickens did, and he is re-
garded by many who have heard him read
as almost as fascinating a reciter of his
own tales as was the master novelist
If Eugene Field tells an anecdote in pub
lie upon the stage as well as he does when
he is surrounded by his intimates, he is
sure to increase a reputation which is al
ready great and to swell his bank account
besides The best reciter Of humorous or
dialect poems of which he was also the
author who has appeared upon our stage
in recent years is unquestionably James
Whitcomb Riley, and his popularity as u
teller Of his own stories in rhyme is con-
stantly on the increase And it is some
illustration Of the pecuniary value of this
gift that he has probably received more
money for the recitations delivered in
single night than he has for all the poems
written in a year.
Just before the first snow fell a young
man was seen by his friends hurrying
about the streets Of New York where are
the great bazaars his arms loaded with
bundles and the manner of excitement and
hurry made manifest. When he met his
friends he would simply explain by saying,
Il am on my annual purchasing eXpedi-
ton, for tomorrow | sail for my winter
home among the Florida keys"
Mr. Kirk Monroe, who was the author
thus busily engaged lives what many
authors regard as an ideal existence. He
has become one of the most popular writers
of books for boys, and he has adopted a
singular plan for preparing these volumes.
Mr.. Monroe owns bit of land at the south
ernmost point of the Florida peninsula. 1t
is place where flowers bloom on Christ
mas day and the air is as soft and balmy
as it is in New York in June. Here he can
battle in the ocean every day of the year.
Mr.. Monroe's only companion upon this
charming spot is his wife, excepting that
now and then guests call to see him. The
existence is a delightful one. Tropical
fruits are plenty, salt water sports are To
be had every day, but the author does not
permit himself a merely dreamy existence
there. He collects materials for his sto-
rles and for his other literary work, picks
out his plots, and by the time the sun sug-
gests that the tropical summer is at hand
he returns north, and in the summer here
is busy with the completion Of the labors
whose foundations were laid in this de-
lightful retreat.
When Harper's Young People was estab-
nshed he became its first editor, and ia chat
periodical his first story for boys appeared.
Fond Of outdoor life he found the require
ments Of an editorial post too exacting and
reiinquished it. Some of his books have
had a large sale, especially his Mate Sc
res-consisting of "Dorymates," Raft
mates' and "Canoemates" when he
sailed for Florida recently he had the idea
Of a new book in this series well in mind.
Z. J. EDWARDS.