New-York tribune., 1910-12-10


the recipient of the academy's medal.
called out to him; rs your company all
right, captain and the latter answered
with 2 salute
Then William NJ Sloane chancellor Of
the academy. made a violent gesture 10
warn his colleagues that the Mayor was
entering the library escorted by Robert
Underwood Johnson. the academy's secre-
tary- Ar once the behavior of all became
exemplary.
Mayor Talks of Good Things.
Gentlemen. the Mayor of the city of
New York announced Mr.. Sloane. and as
the Mayor, on the arm of Mr.. I-owells
president Of the academy. took his allot-
ted position. he addressed his honor:
I've all regret that Mrs. Gaynor could
not accompany you We are eager to
shake your hand. but we hope that before
we do you will consent to speak TO u.s.
But" said the Mayor. looking about
him in dazed and embarrassed way Mr.
Johnson told me that if | came l wouldn't
need to say anything. I am glad how
ever, to make the acquaintance of You
gentlemen. 1 am very grateful for the op-
portunity to be here. I am interested in
so many good things that are going on in
this city. in institutions of learning and
SO on
Certain newspapers are always talking
about the bad things of the city" Here the
Mayor caught sight of St. Clair Mckelway
in the line and hastened to add: "T don't
include DR.. McKelways paper.
Il am glad to leave my duties he con-
tinued. "to be here with those who stand
for the good things"
-r-1.o
We men of letters" said he. are very
glad you're here, your horor, because We
understand that no man writes better let
ters than you
Rear Admiral Alfred T Mahan was the
first In line to shake the Mayors hand, Mr..
Johnson standing by to introduce those who
came up
II have read all your books Mayor Gay
nor told him
This is not the first time We have met. :"
said President Hadley of Yale. as he
stepped up beaming. in his turn
The Mayor told George ". Cable he had
also read all of his books. and when Hamil-
ton Wright Mabfe, of THE Outlook, was
presented. he asked him:
How is YOUR youngest associate editor?
Af1er the 'Immortals'' came the guests
The Msvor spent half hour in all shaking
hands and conversing. leaving the library
at 4:45 o'clock
Or. Furness Sways Audience.
The bitter rivals who DR.. van Dyke
saws. compose the American Academy OF
Arts and Letters and the Nauonai 1nstl-
tute of the same gathered in true homage
Yesterday morning to hear Dr. Horace
Howard F11rness, known as one of the
n
lea. read from Henry W DR.. Furness, a
member of both academy and institute, Is
regarded in the light Of a priest, an in
terpreter of the divine by the brother
hood. His reading attracted a pit full OF
vorsbinpers TO The New Theatre, mostly
the wives and daughters of the institute,
whom he swayed to tears and laughter
with his simple representations
Some of the love which DR.. Furness en-
+ertains for Shakespeare's works left the
theatre in the hearts of his hearers. Those
who had never heard him read before mar
yelled at the vividness of pOrtraiture this
old white haired scholar could impart 10
the infinitely varied children Of the great
hsrd's Imagination. He didn't read the
play through from beginning to end; he
skipped freely, but lightened the g1ps with
verbal explanations of the situation and
the characters, which the audience seemed
TO find as full of charm as his reading.
William Dean Howells, president of the
academy was the only other person on
the stage with DR.. F'urness. who didn't even
stand up TO give freer play to his few
gestures After Mr.. Howells had intro
duced him with word to an audience
which needed no more DR. Furness took
his seat in a chair behind the reading
desk and prepared TO pour forth the treas
r1res Of a volume big as the Bible the
preacher uses. After his hearers had
prayed fought and wooed with Harry
Plantagenet and laughed at Fluellen, Mr.
Howells motioned TO him to put up his big
brass ear trumpet. Then speaking into
the trumpet and TO the audience as WELL
the novelist said:
1T am going to speak into this trumpet
and tell DR. Furness that his own ex-
pIanatory remarks elucidated Shake
speare that il was impossible for us TO dis
ttng1iish between gloss and text
He would have said more, but DR. Fur
ness refused to listen further to what he
considered sacrilege, and with many
smile and shake of the head he removed
IL.