Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-11-15
NEW MEMS 0F YESTERDAY
Fear That Kept Famous Novelist
From Visiting America.
Charles Reade Wished 70 See Tais
Country but Felt Sure He Would
Die Of seaslekness on the
Atlantic.
81 E. }. EDWARDS.


University crew was Frederick Lor-
Ing. He was, in fact. the first of all
American college oarsmen to master
the science of rowing and TO show the
manner in which the mere brute
strength of rover can often be out.
rowed through the use OF skill and
science.
Captain Loring drilled a Harvard
crew in 1867 which gave as fine an
exhibition OF college rowing as had
been seen up to that time. The crew
rowed away from the Yale University
boat with perfect ease over the course
at Lake Quinsigamond, at Worcester.
Mass. And when Captain Loring.
who stroked the crew, stopped row.
ing, thus giving the signal TO his crew
to cease, every man in the boat was
as fresh, apparently, as he was at the
moment when he entered it.
Again the next year. and once more
In 1869, Loring stroked his crew to
victory; and so famous did the Lor-
ing six-oared crew become that Har-
ward decided to send a four-oared
crew under Loring to London to enter
into a race with the Oxford crew
which had won the annual race with
Cambridge in March of that year.
Curicusly enough, it was this incident
which made it possible to learn the
reason why Charles Reade never Wis
tied the United States.
1t seems that Mr.. Reade, who was
an athlete, who had rowed with his
college crew, and who was fond of
cricket, had read reports in the Eng
lish papers Of he maner in which Cap
tain Loring lad developed rowii : at
Harvard. He was greatly pleased
when he herd that Captain Loring
was to bring his crew to London to
race against oxford, Reade's alma
mater; and as soon rs Loring G d his
men had arrived in London and got
settled in their quarters who should
appear to welcome them but the au-
thor of THE Cloister and the Hearth"
then at the height of his fame as
novelist. The Harvard men felt great
ly complimented; and when, after
brief call, Reade invited the entire
crew to visit him at his country place
near London, the invitation was ac-
cepted with the greatest delight.
After the dinner, which was the
browning event of the visit of the
crew to Reade's country place. the
talk turned on the United States.
Il should greatly like to visit the
United States" said Mr.. Reade, II
think if went there / might stay
long time. am as proud of the Unit
ed States as it is possible for any one
to be. ! feel especially tender to-
wards il because the people of the
United States accepted my play
Masks and Faces with great cor
diality. l am told that your comedian.
William Warren of Boston, plays the
part of 'Triplet' in Masks and Faces
with exquisite art. Then, too, the
United States received my novel, 1t is
Never Too Late to Mend as enthusi-
astically as IL was received in Eng.
land
One member of the crew said TO
Mr. Reade: why don't you come to
the United States? We can promise
which Dickens or Thackeray receiv-
Cd"
Il once asked Dickens, If, when he
crossed the Atlantic, he suffered much
from the weather." said Reade Il
was referring to his first visit to the
States. He told me that he was shut
in his stateroom for the better part
of four days and suffered excruciat-
ingly. He did not know why asked
him that question. | did it because !
was at that time thinking seriously of
visiting the United States and stay
ing there perhaps two or three years.
But / shall never go. know / would
be received most cordially. And ]
should like to visit your far western
country; think could get material
there for story. But shall never
60"
why not, Mr.. Reader he was
asked.
I'll tell you the reason: don't be-
lieve l would live to cross the Allan
TIC" was the reply. Il am not a timid
man about most things, but am an
abject coward about the sea-not that
fear storms, but / suffer horribly
from seasickness even in the hour it
takes to cross the English channel
Yes, the only reason why / do not Wis
It the United States is because am
morally certain that / should never
| live to cross the sea-that I should
die of seasickness."
| Copyright. 1911, by f. j. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved.)
|