Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-14

- HIS is one of my rest days on
my summer tour and as they
do not come often, certainly
enjoy them. l am spending
the day with the officials of the South
ernLyceum bureau and will leave here
on the midnight train for Cincinnati,
thence on to Parkersburg. w. Va,
BInghamton, N. Y. and back into In
diana. There is nothing that pleases
me more on my tour than that hold
up so well physically. I don't think
have felt better In ten years than do
now and this, coupled with the fact
that I have been constantly at work
since the 18th of June. makes me feel
like my wifes husband has much to be
thankful for, and occasionally / shake
hands with myself.
General Fitzhugh Lee. Captain Hob
son and Miss Stone are three new adj
ditions to the chautauqua platform
this year. HObson has a fine personal
appearance, a pleasing manner and Is
somewhat of an orator. No egotisnl,
no big l. His subject Is The United
States Navy and Army" 1t is pa
triotic address and we'll received every
where. His address Is always better
preceded by General Lees address. Lee
always CONEEE the EAOAA0 AAOAA NAN
sixty's to the beginning of the Spanish
American war. Hobson begins with the
Spanish-American war. They are both
good drawing cards. don't know how
long they will last, but their first sea-
son Is a success. Miss Stone ! have
not heard, but from what hear of her,
her lecture Is a disappointment. She
is no orator as Brutus was. But there
Is an amazing amount of curiosity TO
see the woman who was captured oy
the brigands and $4,000 ransom paid
for her. The audiences expect her to
tell the story of her capture and de-
tention, but the only reference 1 under
stand that she makes to her kidnapping
experience Is that she Is under SOL
emn oath not to tell anything about IL.
The admission to the average chautau-
qua grounds is only Is cents. It's worth
that much to see a woman, the ransom
price of whom is nearly 100000, or in
other words, TO see anybody who is the
only one of that kind. l am little
surprised that do not find Tom Wat
son on the chautauqua platform this
year. If he is going to lecture. there
is not a broader, more inviting field.
General Gordon is still doing some
chautauqua work, so is Watterson, so
is Graves and Ham. notice also that
they have imported some material
from England and Scotland and else
where. That sort of material doesn't
take well in America. The American
audiences love to laugh and cry. Very
few Englishmen or Scotchmen can
make you do either.
The Lyceum bureaus tell me their
business was never so large as this
years work Really they areNworking
the field more thoroughly. They are
placing lyceum courses with their mu-
steals. readers and entertainers are
largely supplanting the cheap show and
theatricals which go around. The aver
age citizen would be astonished to see
a list of the cities and towns Of Amer
lea that are taking the winter lyceum
courses and they are well patronized.
The Redpath bureau, of Boston, Star.
of New York, Clayton, of Chicago,
Southern Lyceum, of Louisville. Allan
ia and Dallas, not naming score Of
other smaller bureaus their business
will run up no doubt into the millions.
No work 1 do is more pleasant than
chautauuua work and for ten years
have had all could do during the sea-
son of chautauquas, and many OF them
1 have been going TO year after year
for ten and twelve years and most Of
them have hired me over again for
next year, all of which gives me the
big head. If fellow So years old has
worked as hard as a street ear mule,
he can have the big head. Since the
18th of June I have been home twice,
remaining eight hours each time and
my engagements Keep me busy until
the 18th of August three more weeks
yet. But won't I be glad when the