The daily sentinel., 1908-02-08
AIDE Is
AZ Today
LIFE SKETCH
Auasrously Written Of the
Famous Hoosier Fun Maker
and Literary Genius-An
Interesting Career.

-Layfayette. Ind, Feb. ,8.-Tomor-
row will be the Anniversary Of an
important event In Indiana literary
circles-no less than the, birthday Of
George AIDE. the towering genius who
supplies the Juice with. which to
leaven the literary output of the
Hoosier state. Although Ade has at
tanned to International fame, 1t is
unlikely that his merits are SO highly
appreciated anywhere as in his ma
tive state In general and in Layfay-
ette In particular. It was at Purdue
university in Lafayette that the hum
orist secured the foundation for his
education, and his first newspaper
work was performed here.
OF late years. since he began the
publication OF his slangy fables In a
Chicago newspaper, Ade has been
much In the limelight and his career
as the author of successful books
and comedies is known of all men.
His early struggles are less familiar,
and have been well described by his
friend. John T. McCutcheon. in
hilarious magazine. OF AIDES youth
ne says:
'Mr. Ade, or Georgie. as he was
then called, was born on February g.,
1866, at Kentland, Ind. and is 40
years old, not counting the two years
in the patent medicine business.
Kentland is a little town OF thou
sand people. 1t lies in the heart of
the corn belt, where the highest bill
Is hardly ten feet above datum In the
Kent Irrigation Ditch.
The first years of his life were
spent In Kentland, with occasional
trips to Morocco (Indiana) and Dol
phi Indiana). In the daytime he
demonstrated his unfitness for an
agricultural career, and in the even
ing he sat with the local savants In
front OF Pat Keefe's grocery store
helping settle affairs OF state. Mr.
Keefe, Jack Ryan, Will Kent. and
Mr.. Harnish. the genial photo
grapher, were among the speakers
at those evening debates. Occasion
ally Bluford Light Blu for short;
Bill Hartsock. and Dry Six would
happen along to give new angles to
the viewpoint of the subject under
discussion.
THUS Mr.. Ade passed through
boyhood and prepared for college.
Pessimists around Kentland predict
ed that he would grow up and edit
the local paper. He graduated from
High School and was sent to Purdue
University at Layfayotte.
HE entered the freshman class In
1888. At that time he was a tall,
slender boy with a face as refined as
a girls and as clear cut as the pro- |
verbal cameo that figures in the
heart-interest literature of the later |
Victorian period. His hair was very
dark. but not black. Since then there |
have appeared streaks of gray, the |
large one on the right side, coming |
from the Bad Samaritan and the |
one on the left from Mr.. Savage.
AFTER graduation, he went back |
to Kentland to corroborate his belief |
that he was not cut out for future |
in the old home town. Literature
as typified by job on a local news |
paper, and law--as embodied in an
opportunity to study with a promi-
nent firm in Lafayette. were each
to him.
He selected the law Why-has
never been explained. He nodded
over Blackstone for six weeks and
then took q Job as city editor on q |
newly established Republican organ
in Lafayette. The organ played It's |
swan song after brief existence. |
and he switched to an afternoon
daily that held out a golden promise |
or six per week, ram OF Snine. mere
he worked hard for some time. con- |
stantly confronted by the grim fact |
that the bare cost of living was over |
tapping his salary. II he had con- |
tinued in that position. he would now
be nearly $4,000 in debt.
''He quit journalism at six per and
embarked In a patent medicine busi-
ness. where he did the literary and
press work of remedy guaranteeing
to cure the tobacco habit II you fol-
low directions. The first direction
was to cease the use of tobacco. His
chief work was to edit testimonials
and act az press agent for people
who had been cured of the dread
habit. It was q pleasant sight to sec
the youthful author. with his feet on
table writing of the invaluable
benefits conferred on humanity by
the tobacco cure. for he smoked In
cessantly to stimulate his imagina-
tion.
.In 1890 Ade went to Chicago
armed with the following equipment:
A wonderful memory, an x-ray In
sight into motives and men. highly
developed power of keen observation
and the benefit of four years liter
ary work In college and three years
in professional fields"