Grand Rapids herald., 1893-01-22

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NINETY DAYS AND COSTS"
He said be would ike some day my
Judgment ON q book he was going TO
publish under the title ''Gleanings." /
said yes. would look at il when hap
pened % 10 ut his house He said that
would Do unnecessary. as hs had it with
him He operad his valise, which con-
tanned the manuscript, a pair Of arctics
and lunch, and took out ''Gleanings."
lie read quite lot Of it To me.
Now what would your judgment be
on thatg' he said
''Sinsty days and COSTS" said 1 as
quick Is hA4sh-
he said as be reluctantly got of the
car that he was a great student OF Mr..
Riley, the Hoosser poet. 81 don't be-
Heve Jim has ever wrote anything that
can't repeat, and, between you and me,
o heap better than ne does it. / use his
'Goodby, Johnnie; see you later in my
lecture
Speaking of lecturing, have an ear
nest and sincere letter from a young man
at Raccoor Summit, Tenn, asking about
my own early experience and how /
like it.
The history Of the lecture industry of
America Is one of alternate citation and
depression IL is history of alternate
failure and success, written with the
hearts blood cf tho Lecturer. 1t is a
record OF hope and Indigestion. Of ex-
hilaratfng applsuse and nipping frosts.
b ieeaY IN America to say: 81 will be
. lccfwcE. I wiu train my voice and
waxzn - cold hearts Of my fellows with
my nee INV UPPER register. will train
myself from IN elocutionary point OF
yiess. and 1 Vim write myself lecture
10 6t tho gestures that 1 have thought
up. Iwll win for myself place IN the
hearts Of my countrymen at $500 per
pop. and committees shall say. "Lol he is
indeed corkr," and the leading people
CT ths town shall take me to their homes
and give me OF their preserves. and the
committee shall meet me at the depot
with livery team"
1t is easy To say all this, but It Is not
easy To do It. Before ell this can hap
pen the long dusty road that leads 10
public approval must be sprinkled with
tears. Tho amateur lecturer must con-
tribute many sobs and three sheet pos
ters. and many an amateur manager
must l.ect with reverses of his fortunes
while tho lecturers cuffs are going
through the same process.
Our best lecturers are too wealthy to
lecture, and SO tho field is occupied
pretty extensively by those whose fame
Is superior 70 their lectures, or whose
lectures are superior TO their fame. SO
too often IL ia either "a small but de-
hghted aEdicnce," or "a large and dis
appointed one"
Sometimes the lecturer entirely escapes
criticism. while The audience gets terri
bic roasting for It's apparent enjoyment.
Thls Is one CT the saddest sights 1 have
ever witnessed A bright young critic.
who has had sometimos rs high as a year
aad q half OF experience as thought
naolder. takes an audience of moro or
less ua5uro people across his knee and
gives il u well ulcTited rebuke / have
known an audience after such an expe-
rieacs 70 change its name and go some
where else. No one who has never been
"a audience under such circumstances
can imagine its chagrin when il finds by
the paper that it has enjoyed lecture
which was a sitter Disappointment TO a
blaze young critic
Trdrions advertising twenty five years
ago would have male any lecture a
financial success, but now it win not. Ii
4 a queer combination Of fame-ability
toentertain and business sagscity which
together make mp tho sum Of success
from a box Office standpoint now. and
that has 20 De ths test at least, for lee
kue committees and local Managers do
not Iowa one who cannot draw. You
are therefore 70 combine your talents as
talker aud ss a drtftsnan.
To ststrs cut as a lecturer and win
wealth and fame In this way Is an up
hill Job. even though your lecture was
written BY some one in whom YOU have
the usnso-t confidence. Generally orig
inaiitv Il thought and EXPRESSION. which
through tie medium 0f the public press
have sttracted attention. ara the first
and strongest eleruents 60 success in the
makeup Of a lecture tour. Then should
follcw a compfete study Of the average
suslierl-e ard 81 effort 10 please ia pc
rrliar taste.
IN ths autumn IF the year 1884 | ne
witt a severe accident in the northez7
voosis of Wisconsin. By whach my II
was very ranoh broken &C the knee Th
as.cident was due largely - an error i
indz1nent by which my owr eclipti
tissrse5 tho orbit q grownup cyciou
~ = tiIne when the cyclones orbit wa
ia use. Stepping on a bright. new pa
Of thandss. h0 quote from myself I 81
nnits long distance with veFY little ob