The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-24
AUTHOR SMITH
GAVE A READING
DELIGHTFUL TREAT IN THE
BICYCLE CLUB HOUSE.
Read Chapters from "Colonel Carter
of Cartersville," "Tom Grogan,"
and Jonathan ~ Dialect in All of
the Character Sketches He Read
Was Delightful, and Was Greatly
Enjoyed by the Cultured Audience.
Mr.. Smith Is a Man of Varied
Accomplishments.


that of last evening at the Bicycle
club to greet +. Hopklnson Smith.
without doubt, no Scranton audience
ever left an entertainment so utterly
delighted with a programme. 1t was
given for the benefit of the Young
Ladies' society of the First Presby-
terlan church.
Rev. Dr. Mcleod introduced the
speaker in the happiest possible way.
He stated that the gentleman in ques-
tion was zone Smith" who, on art,
science, literature, or even foreign mis-
sions, could be heard with pleasure and
profit. Mr.. Smith prefaced his remarks
with graceful tribute to the reverend
doctors dialect, which he termed de
licious," adding, "God bless all who
come over here and do the work he
does"
Mr.. Smith is a tall man, who looks
as if he might be a brigadier general
masquerading in a dress suit. A pow
erful frame, a splendid, erect carriage,
head of fine contour, the slightly
silvering hair parted in the middle,
rather low on the broad forehead, n
fierce military moustache, a ringing,
flexible voice, these are the character
istics which first impress the observer.
A face most genial in expression i'm
mediately captivates his new-found
friends.
A VERSATILE MAN.
To those familiar with the best liter
ature, Francis Hopkinson Smith has for
some time been a marvellous figure,
man who, perhaps, more than any
other living author is the prototype Of
- A a IL
novelist and an essayist, he ranks with
the best American writers of today.
AS an artist, he has achieved fame be-
yond most water-colorists. At this time
in the well-known Fifth avenue gal
lery, Avery's, an exhibition of some of
his latest pictures are shown. His
somewhat peculiar style of gouache
backgrounds produces remarkable dis
tance.
The scenes are chiefly in Holland,
Venice and along the Thames and the
equisite atmospheric effects are daily
the subjects of much comment.
As an engineer devising vast me-
chanical structure requiring massive
strength and endurance such as light
houses, Notifications, viaducts and
similar enterprises he is q. master. A
society leader, an orator, a man of
unusual attainments in the law, and
the possessor of wealth, his varied ac-
complshments seem to exceed what
could well be the dover of one man.
His ability as a dialect reader was
revelation. Perhaps in no character
was he so particularly happy as in the
dear old Colonel Carter of Carters-
VILE" His own Southern ancestory
and upbringing seem to give him spec
ial facility in depicting the Southern
gentleman of the old school.
The negro dialect was delicious. In
"Chad" and "Chloe" the fascination of
the soft, slurred consonants, the LIQUID
"as," the odd little cadences, the un-
conscious pathos, the gestures and
intonations were presented in sort of
gloritied fashion as of a brilliant hued
moth held fast in amber.
TOM GROGAN SKETCHES.
The rich Irish trils in the Tom Gro
gan" sketches We're equally well rem
dered and in the dreamy woodland idyl
of Jonathan" the New England
localisms were delightfully."- given.
The programme opened with the
somewhat unfamiliar Jonathan Cor
NCii' hS Nllltl lldu spent summers
in the White Mountains, where he
found this sweetest toned soul" in
the world. He described the ugly
| outside" "hewn in the rough" the
hands like paddles" and the mean,
sniveling, stub-tailed dog, named
| George, Of no particular breed" with
inimitable humor. The tender, poetic
conception in the quaint statement of
Jonathan that there "ain't nothing so
human as trees" the decent life" Of
the hemlocks, the disreputable white
branches whose ragged jackets and
toes out of their shoes bespoke on ear
lier life not of the best, was repeated
with affectionate faithfulness.
In speaking of Colonel Carter. Mr..
Smith said that there never was any
Colonel Carter, who Is really the COM
posite idea of several men in one. Part
Of the character is drawn from his
own father, while an old uncle has
furnished some details. Chad" he did
know. He was the body servant and
one time slave of his father and died
but a few years ago at the age of 81.
He read from the rare description of
| the colonel on the night of the din
ner with "Fitz" and the major in his
New York home, and gave the gro
Gerry man incident with the most
charming effect standing i'm the col
onel's favorite attitude with thumbs
in armholes and the genial loving look
on his countenance. 1t was to be re-
GREETED that the final scene when coal
Is discovered on his land and when
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