The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-11
AUTHORS DINE MERELY.
SIXTY OF THEM EAT. sIN9, AVN
LISTEN 10 sPEECHEa

but that Is not at all what IL 10 like Last
night about sixty members OF the Authors
Club met for their annual dinner In the west
dining hall OF the Hotel st. Denis, and they
had Just as Jolly time Of It ss any other lot Of
Woodworking men would have In an hour tit
| was six hours Of recreation.
Frank r. Stockton presided, and when he
came to look up his speakers he found some
OF them. particularly those with gray besrds
helping out table where f. Hopkinson Smith
was leading chorus which was trying TO
drown out with Annie Rooney" another
table where q chorus. led by william Carr.
was tuneiuly relating the things that hap
pened after the ball was over
Edmund Clarence stedman was behind the
screen where the musicians we're, teaching
them his own particular impairment to
The Bowery;" and when he had done so he
returned to his table and trium phi ntly routed
Annie Rooney" and dispersed all recollec-
lions OF After the Ball." and was more
pleased with his Victory than II he
had discovered an entirely new verse
form. The Rlddy youth OF the gathering.
led by such children as Robert Bridges and
John Ksndrlck Bangs sang the utilitsrisn
beauties Of a bicycle built for two." and when
Richard Watson Glider was not observing him
Joseph Jefferson came In on the Bangs
Bridges chorus with much satisfaction and .
double bass.
But Mr.. Stockton managed at last to line up
his speakers and. keeping . careful eye on
them. rose to open the formal exercises Of the
evening.
He congratulated the Nom bers on the great
and apparent success Of the Authors Club and
limited at q club house as among the proba-
bilities OF the noar future.
Authors" he said. dwell together In mar.
mony because. for one reason. perhaps. they
do not have to read each others books. The
lamentable jealousies among actors" tMr. JEFF
ferson cast up an observant eys) may
In part be accounted for By the fact that
there are no happily concealing covers to their
work. Artists" IF. Hopkinson Smith halted
strawberry midway between his plate and
his mouth cannot escape seeing the can
billion walls. But fellow author can take our
hook. 90 into library filed with our books.
a? hsys sS%DSS . h% to SHS
and possibly his respect"
After explaining In this wise the prevailing
duced RIehard Henry stoddard as one OF the
stoddard venerable and handsome, recited
one OF bic own poems and then the Chairman
In the room jun ned to his feet aud chesr.d. do"
There is nothing an actor enjoys SO much
again. First" cont inuod the speaker, $50
Kind, the applause assures me 1 am welcome
appiausel, and then It gives me little time to
Mr.. Jefferson stopped TO smile and they ap.
plaqded him some more.
not prepared for this occasion. It IL the essen.
finl part OF my profession ssh to be prepared.
slight player CON put ON his udIence.
.h our Shas da , said something s tonight
ehor ime it's e' $ s
professions. l must dissent from the idea.
@ Ssh You Hi % the t os.rao
stars whose season recently closed at the
MetrGpSlit;H 4; e onero House, iLauEhter And
always plenty Of his fellow actors ready to take
essential in the players profession. II we arc
repair The speech once delivered Cannot be-
recalled. =, You authors may correct and
paint over: 'f but how oWA would Il tut SEEM
In me. to pause after a speed, On. the stage.
was not quite right. I will deliver that line
Possibly I may have paid too much atten.
critic s has abused me frequently for that. and
sas Worres sm s sas S ss
right; never leave anything to chance.
did nsedessly prepsrs sS for one ceesson Mr..
ns and sssn the ,S sf.ns for
said. and it seemed reasonable to me. that as
Sad d9 tSe call Ss out and
hsf So NJ w. 49, %: Ms. 20 ss s
make iar,WUsli Hddrof Thi n which he wa:
S fasl .s ii sP to fofsn %
put [, back on The table, and added '5
10 excuse for mistake Florence made after
SsW England S nrtroTd New ' iav en-.
&c. One night he was called out after the
Pss Is ana marx s Of APPRECIATION which Pc.
,ullarty touches ne p l , hnow many 81 the
,!aYed marLlSs with them under the shadow
u the Hartford Baptist Church shared their
hat shall never forget this last act Of Kind.
less which you people OF Hartford-'
=" just then a voice from the gallery inter-
,".This is New Haven. Mr. Florence
Preparation Is essential. Once manager
vas obliged to apologize to an audience Tor
he pon.appearapee Of the leading man, who
1t happened that the manager that even
iss a tTife unsteady as to voice and legs, but
Is dignity stood firm on both feet. He said
s-this is first time EXCISE has to be made this
heRtre, but-well. any way, mans mother 10
cad. Never before occurred this theatre dis
ppOint audience. and-you see mans moth
dead. ! regret that after thirty years ex.
erience manager. theatre audience which
lean 10 say mans mother Is dead; but ii shall
ever occur again."
Mr. Jefferson told the story in a voice SO
chly affected by the disability the manager
Uttered from that all his hearers reached for
heir glasses.
Then Mr. Stockton called on John Bur-
0ughs. Mr. burroughs lives in the country.
nd besides writing things about the fields
nd forests and streams. he has been a coun-
~ Postmaster. lie said he had recently re-
siyed shock by having his Post Office taken
way from him.
50 My wife told me long ago to resign my
ost ONCE" he said but told her did not
ant TO embarrass Mr.. Cieveland's adminis-
alton at this critical time. She urged me to
SIX IT, but l periodically chung 10 the Office,
nd now it is Mr.. Cleveland who has smbsr-
lssed my administration"
Mr.. Burroughs said lie found It more profit
Bile to raise grapes than 10 write books. for