Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-15
WITH THE BROWNIE MAN.
Palmer Cox, the Children's Friend,
Talks About the Spirits.

Talks About the Spirits.
Palmer Cox, the Brownie" man, whose
name Is household word, is at the Airing
ton Hotel. He is tall. broad-shouldered
man, over six feet in height, with humor-
Gus, twinkling blue eye, indicative of the
inexhaustible furd of hunor that has found
expression in the mirth-provoking adVen-
lures of the Brownie band. He has a
calm, collected manner, as though he ap-
preciated the responsibility Of providing
for the restless sprites who are continually
getting into difficulties, from which he
must eXtricate them.
HAS your literary and artistic work, Mr..
Cox, been only confined to the Brownies ?:
asked representative of The Star.
''Oh, no." said Mr.. Cox, when l first
came to New York I did a great deal of
work in other directions of comic nature,
using animals as the principal characters
which were dressed grotesquely. and talk
ed and acted like human beings. These
pictures and verses that I did attracted
attention In England, as well as in this
country, and brought me many an order
from publishing houses in London and else
the scene, and their popularity became such
as to drive everything else from my mind
How the Brownies Came.
How long have the Brownies been in
existence, and how did you happen to think
of them?''
my. first Brownie story was written and
illustrated about thirteen years ago. 1t oc-
Cured to me that Brownies, who, accord
ing to an old Scotch tradition, delight in
harmless pranks and healthful deeds,
would be good medium through which to
convey my fugitive thoughts and fancies.
Accordingly, the first Brownie story was
written, and its reception from the public
was such as to at once convince me that
my life work lay in the Brownies. Since
that time over hundred Brownie stories
have been written, embelliShed with thou
sands of illustrations, which have all been
collected and put forth in book form"
Always About Him.
1.-THE Brownies then, must seem very real
to you," said The Star man.
Mr.. Cox gave peculiar smile, as he re-
piled: There is very little time, except
when am asleep, that they are not in my
thoughts. The Brownies have almost be-
come part of me. When walk the busy
streets they seem to be nattering all around
me. When am in the cars they are scuf-
fling for seats beside me; even when in the
house of worship en- Sunday it is sometimes
difficult for me to keep them from crowding
the pew or stilling their chatter so that
1 may get the full benefit of the minister S
sermon"
I'm what other ways beside your books
have you placed the Brownies before the
pLblic?"
I'm almost every conceivable shape and
form. Within the last six months, ever
since the success of the brownies on the
stage, applications for the right to use the
Brownie designs, which are all copyrighted
and patented have poured in upon ME from
manufacturers III all parts OF the country,
and many valuable contracts have been
made. The Brownies have been utilized in
rugs, wall paper, stationery, perfumery,
dolls, handkerchiefs, jewelry, glass ware
and china, and in many other ways, and
fv~Nr, $ha -a1 ID oil sh.c.a n rnxr-
atty. A short time since 1 was at din
ner in Brooklyn, where the ice cream was
served IN the shape of Brownies. with va
nilla brooches, chocolate Jackets and straw
berry heads. There were Brownie cases as
We'll, and the cream, of course, was eaten
with a Brownie spoon.
But the stage"' exclaimed Mr.. Cox, his
face lighting up with pleasure, lis the
browning triumph of the Brownies. The
performance is magnificently mounted
scenic pec,acle. with all the elements that
compose successful burlesque or ex-
traVaganZa.'