The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23


voives-constant travelling, contact with
every type of human being and the cruci-
BILE of critical assemblages in every big
city on the continent-has not worn away
the fine delicacies which commend bin to
those who know him well and those who
know him little. 1t is easy enough to
pluck out the heart of Nye's mystery. He
can be compIehended in moment and
initiated not at all. Those who try to FOL
low in his footsteps will have hard road
to travel. They could rise to the height of
none of his excellencies and duplicate and
emphasize every deficiency he has. OF
course he is not a man to rhapsodize
about. He is the first to smile when horid
things are said about him. To fall down
and worship himself will be the last of his
follies."
The last time Mr.. Nye was in San Fran
CISCO he passed one evening at the round
table of the Bohemian Club red room, and
there talked freely to Paul Neumann, JOS
eph D. Redding, DR.. Swan, Sol Smith Rus
sell and few others of his purposes and
ambitions in life. He spoke of the great
volume of his weekly contributions to the
press, and of the opportunity afforded by
NNS SJ hOlSdtc Stcii ioi iSAJ OoAAFSAe
Ing commonplace copy into cash.
1t cannot be said that Mr.. Nye apollo
gized for his syndicate work, but he
readily acknowledged that it was not up
to the standard of his early contributions
to the Denver press and to his own paper
in Laramie. He had an ambition to do
better-to write something that would
give him lasting place in English lit
erature, but his own judgment and the ad-
vice of many of his friends impelled him
to meet the daily demands for his work
While the market was calling for the prod
ucts of his imagination.
He was told that public taste would
change and then it would be time to settle
down to more serious work with his pen.
No one knew better than himself that
the vast quantity OF copy that he was
turning out constantly for the syndicate
could not be produced without the sacri-
flee of quality.
1t was in his mind to follow up his lee
ture engagements throughout the country
and make all the money he could while
lyceums wanted to engage him. Then,
with the accumulated capital from his
writings and readings, he proposed to
complete and embellish a home after his
own heart, wherein he would settle down
in the autumn of life and produce, as he
termed it, literature worthy of himself.
The home OF his fancy was becoming a
reality, but the demands to complete,
equip and maintain it according to his
desires made it necessary to renew his
syndicate contracts and continue the lee
ture engagements. So he worked days
and nights, getting half of his sleep on the
train and the rest of it at hotels. True
enough, he was making money and max
ing people laugh, but he did SO at the ex-
pense OF his mental and physical vitality.
Nye was genial companion, gentle and
benevolent, whose kind humor brought
sunshine into many homes. His work as
writer was never marred with obscene
suggestions or low illusions. His MIND
was clean and clear. He valued the quail
ity of pathos as an element in humor, and
could recite tender as we'll as funny things.
Nye and Whitcomb Riley were close
friends and gave joint readings through
out TIE country until the bliss of late
hours and the Joy of meeting rare spirits
of Bohemia compelled Mr.. Riley to forego
the pleasure of meeting an audience at
Louisville that had assembled in eXpecta-
tion of hearing two humorists.
On this incident the humorists parted
company, and each lectured for himself
If Riley. following in the wake of Nye,
happened at Terre Haute or Kalamazoo to
call out a bigger crowd than the Western
humorist had rallied, the agent of the
Hooser poet made the fact known
throughout the length and breadth of the
lana. Eugene Field was the friend of both
humorists, and Sol Smith Russell AYERS
that he could surpass either in the line of
pathetic recital. Field could mimic to
perfection either Nye or Riley.
Nye was not personally extravagant,
and therefore it is probable that he leaves
to his family quite store of ready money