Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-11

Marshall r. Wilder. Americz's bright
ct. eutes, ard meet entertaining kanles
sst vas = guest Ia TIE Aofs1n during
has stay in The CRY. Physically. there
Isn't much 10 Mr.. Wilder excsp; his
rogulsh sullle and the bright t1lnkllng
81 his eye lie ls quaint and diminuiise
IN figure. With FACE that - expressive
81 every shade q sentiment. To him
the safld hss one cne ss<ir. and that Is
the bright one. He's "a incuratis op
fimist- tie doest Tell stories. lie acts
them. 1hs only thing that saddens bis
heart Il u meet . man that cannot ap
preciate Joke. I'm giving New lofk
i've weeks rest ke aid. from the
depths Il an upholstered chair in bic
room IA The Morton yesterday. TRAY
cling around in trunk YOU know. In
fact, - tel the truth. I'm just c4tnp1ng
out left my friend. Chaunccy Depex.
IN New York. and he will amnse the 40
during my absence. That's oar principal
occupation; bot ! thase the better
III him. get paid for il and be doesn't.
l thought II would i~ something a .
novelty Ia get up little company and
make five weeks tour Its sort 81
vaudeville company. you know. The
leading lady IL musical Wonder. plays
fourteen different instruments. Including
the piano. iiute. violin. guitar. hsnjo.
castanet. bells. poker. whist. euchrc and
old maid. And well. / tell M
stories all of EN- cbestnutx. by the
way; and thus We smtlse the audience.
Our entertainment h soseiy for amuse-
ment. We have carefully eliminated
anything that may seem instruct
i've. ] admit that most IL my stories
are old. Lots Of people have heard
them Lake the darky that WAS run
over by the four wheeler. YOU know.
The first two wheels passed. over him.
When he saw tho other two coming be
yelled: What. sgainv
where do ! get nay etoriess Oh.
everywhere. pick tfem up in the
street and In the Newspapers. | get
hold OF suggestion and then develop
IL. But it's impossible % copyright
stories. you know. and mine. II they
happen 10 be good, socn become CON-
mon property. A newspaper man hears
one OF them and writes il up. Somebody
reads il. and then the story is his. In
fact. Chauncey Depew has captured
some Of them. I've told Mr.. Depcw
stories. and then when l have told them
TO somebody else. they would smile and
say: Yes. that's good story. l heard
Mr.. Depcw tell II the other night And
that's the way We 90. But
don't mind. You zee I'm constantly
on the alert for something 20
amuse people. l am a drawing room
entertainer. and perhaps have no busi.
ness TO be making q tour. The public
likes TO be amused and enjoy amusing
il. I'm intensely American. though.
and prefer New York 10 any other place
in the world. I'm lonesome whenever
am away from il. | go 10 London
nearly every year, and have been 50 gen.
erously treated there that | enjoy the
visit. but London isn't New York after
all. i always have something 10 look
forward TO when ] 60 there though.
meet persons whom / met before. and
they say to me: That was a very funny
story you told last year. Mr.. Wilder
They have got around 10 see the point
by the end Of twelve months. YOU know.
That's what like about London. It's
appreciative-very apprcciative. but you
must give il time This year, however,
] shall not go abroad. I'm going 10
stay at home and help manage tho
great Press club exhibit In New York.
Then I'm going TO attend the meeting
Of the International League Of Press
Clubs in St. Paul. After that I'm
going TO run back ana forth between
New York aud Chicago. and see the bali
games. lm a crank. Every year the
management OF the New York team