Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-01
HALL CAME ENTERTAINED.
Authors and Publishers Meet Him Mt
nfnnar
CNew York Times.)

Dinner.
CNew York Times)
A notable gathering OF well-known au-
thors and publishers greeted Hall Caine
the English novelist, al dinner at the
Aldine Club.
About 100 guests were present. and the
tables were laid on the main floor and
in the grill-room.
At the main table, with President F. II.
scott and Mr.. Caine, were Hamilton w.
Mabie, Edward Eggleston, George w.
Gable, the Rev Henry Van Dyke, James
Lane Allen, Frank r. Stockton f. Hop
Sinson Smith Thomas Nelson Page, and
richard Watson Glider.
After the dinner was over President
Scott introduced Mr. Mabie as chairman
Mr.. Mabie, in a brief speech. introduced
Mr.. Game, who returned Thursday az
ternoon from Canada, where he had
gone to urge the passage OF new copy
isht-law
Mr.. Game spoke, in part. as follows;
/ understand that the Aldine Club con-
sists in large part of publishers. This
partly explains 10 me the distinguished
and gratifying position which / hold to-
night as your guest The author is an
irresponsible person. on whom II Is the
high duty of the publishers to keep watch
and guard.
heard the other day a story Of an
urchin in a Sunday school, who was
asked who his neIghbor was. and he an
iwered, THE man who lives next door a"
lie was then asked what was his duty 10
his neighbor, and he answered "To keep
my eye on him"
1 will presume that among the generous
impulses OF hospitality which have
lfompted you as publishers 20 come here
-o-ngnt % receive with so much warmth
% stranger in a strange land. there is that
II Keeping your eye on n new neighbor
VINO has lately been keeping his own
ye on an Oh neighbOr Of yours-your
rlenlly neichhor across the border.
But, gentlemen. IL is my great honor
ma privilege 70 recognize among this
'JWpany some who are not 10 be Classed
win the tribe Of that good old man,
BerraDas. Ny fcllOw-authOrs OF America
are here In good numbers. the men whose
names have long been familiar 10 me
my Ola friend Gable, whom ] have known
80 long. though ! have never set ewes
on his face before my friend Stockton
rage an companions and colleagues OF
mine this many year; my comrades who
nave worked al the same bench BY my
side, whose voices ! know a long way
H. whom have loved and followed. as
.hey on their part have, as / believe.
followed me.
Gentlemen. it is the Joy and delight OF
our calling that we who are men OF let
ters are literary FreemasOns always. We
nelong 10 that great corps OF nomads.
mat vast tribe Of gypsies which the
businesslike part Of the world has agreed
10 call boheinians. The attitude OF the
world towards US which this name i'm
pies IS one OF amused liberation, as OF
grown-up folks looking with a half-in-
dulgent eye on the occupation OF vav.
ward children. whose doings are not 10
be taken too seriously. and whose faults
are 70 be passed over with a smile The
offices every day at the same hour and
return home at the same minute and
jog through life, year I'm. year out, with
the regularity OF a mill-hOrse or an eight
lay cIoch' sometimes see US smoking our
pipe ana dreaming around and incoming
around-wrting a bit, playing a bit-and
they look at US with eyes which seem 10
say; Il wonder what the deuce they think
they are abOut?"
Some Of US are poor, little weaklings
ike myself, apparently not III for anv-
thing better but others Of US are great
Swapping chaps Ike our friend Eggles-
ton, who ought 10 be doing some honest
work In the world; but instead OF that
we are only writing novels and things. or
on fiddles.
SO the sober work-a-day people agree 10
leave us 10 gang our own GAIT" while
they busy themselves with great enter.
prises. the mighty businesses. the burning
questions on which the weight OF the
world seem 10 them TO hang. Only. gen
tlemen. somehow In the long run limo IN
this matter as In most others. has a way
or bringing its own revenCos and tho
great enterprises sink out OF sight and
the mighty businesses get forgotten. and
the burning questions burn themselves
out but mean time the race Of nOnads
the wandering gvnsies. the bohanians
the poets and painters. the novellets and
dramatists, live on. as the best OF tholr
world itself
Mr.. Game then took up the subject Of
the Canadian copyright. and I'm conclusion
spoke OF the relations between that conn
try and the United States He said:
me relations between Canada and the
United states may sometimes be a lttia
strained, but there seems to an English
man. 70 be no sufficient reason WHY two
great nations should not live In friendly
rivalry on this great Continent. ! came
here sir by way OF NIAGARA where the
river that divides your country from Can
ada looks angry and impossible enough
But ! dare say you have noticed that In
that watery horseshoe angle. whore the
widest and widest. the sun can never
shine on the clouds N vapor which rise
ont OF those troubled waters without
making heautful rainbow. which
bridges land to land.
Gentlemen and brother authors. IN the
most troubled moment between Canada
and the United States II only needs the
sunshine Of good faith and good fellow
ship to bridge over the differences be-
tween you.
Among the other speakers were Edward
EgglestOn. Frank r. Stockton, Thomas
Nelson Page, and Richard Watson Glider.
At the tables were many well-known
men Interested In literature. both as pub
fishers and authors. Among them were
W. w. Appleton. Charles A. Appleton
Ripley Hitchcock, Julian Ralph Arthur
II. Scribner. william II. McElroy. George
II Putnam, +. II. Dodd. John Brisben
Walker. and Robert Underwood Johnson