New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07

Dickens was WIlkie Collins. lie was tne niSt
with whom Major James b. Pond was asso-
ciated as a manager. in 1913. and since that
time Major Ponds career as a director of such
enterprises and the history Of author-readers IN
this country have pretty nearly conceded.
WillSie Collins had great success. and he was
followed by many more authors who interpreted
what they had written for the ears of those
who had already interpreted them with their
eyes.
One of the most successful Of all the American
writer's who have read in public George w
Gable. He was best when he first appeared.
His Creole stories had been popular. but the
readers Of them did not fully understand them
Few of those who had enjoyed them. at least
at the North, had any clear notion OF how the
Creole dialect in which they were so largely
written actually sounded. Mr.. Cable came and
showed them. 1t was something new and singu-
larry pretty. and they were delighted. Mr.. Ca
BILE had beautiful voice. and he was wholly
natural and unaffected Then. too, the queer
and pretty little Creole songs that he inter
jected were most enjoyable part OF the enter
tainnicnt At the end of story or of a selec-
ton from one he would pause for a moment and
then. without accompaniment or introduction. he
would sing one Of these songs. that were evil
IDENTIFY So full Of meaning and yet so incom-
prehensIble till he explained them.
He amt Mark Twain gave readings together.
and that was Mr. Cables misfortune. for he got
into "A habit Of initiating Mark Twain's peculiar
drawl lie fell into involuntary imitation Of
others whom h. heard. too. 1t was not only
involuntary; it unwilling. He knew that he
was doing 1t and he tried to avoid it. and set
he did ii. and it impaired his own fresh and Ie-
lghtful ndturalncss and his value as a reader
MARX TWAlN'S FINE ACHIEVEMENT
But II Mark TWain's draWl was disastrous
FOR Cable. there was fortune in it for him
self Hc also. taking the number Of years that
he has been before the public through and
through has been among the most successful
Of readers. And his latest achievement IS his
greatest. Two years ago h. started on his tour
around the world. weighted down with debt and.
doubtless. fun Of bitter thoughts Of the posi-
bility Of failure toward the end Of long and
busy life but still with determination to
clear himself II possible. And in these two
years. by his writings and 10y his readings.
he has made over SSOVp: he has cleared him
self Of debt a year sooner than he hoped To 30
when he set out ana hc declares that h. is now
enabled t. TAX, leave II the platform. and that
he will never go back 10 IL Surely this is 10
small achievement for a man II over sixty
James Wh.icomh Riley has been a most pros
porous reader. and was Thomas Nelson
Page. though he kept 1t up for only short
time. He has one II the sweetest and most
sympathetic voices ever heard from man. and
no one else could give such effect to the soft
Southern dialect ~ his stories. He gave many
readings with +. IIopkinspn Smith. and they
made most entertaining pair. Mr.. Smith was
much commended a reader. too. thus adding
another calling "a those which he was already
exercising OF writer. painter and contractor.
He is doutless the most widely versatile man
in the field
Then there came Sir Edwin Arnold. who
added interest To his readings by selecting
largely from his unpublished works and he
pleased audiences Of thoughtful persons great
~. Or \. Conan Doyle had a bluff presence
and hearty manner that made friends for him.
and finally came Ian Maclarcn and made one
Of the greatest successes since Charles Dickens.
His houses were crowded and his audiences
were delighted He stayed in America for a
few weeks and went home with many thousand
dollars to say nothing Of the pittance that his
manager secured. And all who heard him said
that he deserved it,
Now Anthony Hope is the latest though by
no means the last Of the list. Some Of his
hearers have said that they liked him because
he did not bother them with long explanations.
but went straight at his story. 1t is worth
while for any writer who means TO read to
think Of this. But there is no doubt that his
simple and unaffected manner Is an element
in his success Major Pond has maxim that
He who is his chief thought is his chief audi
tor" and he says that it has been borne out
by his ex 1erience in the business of lectures and
readings.