New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-22
Authors Join in Birthday
Fete at National
Arts Club
Many Tributes Paid
Hundreds of Letters Praise
Work and Personality
of Noted Writer

One familiar face was missing
among the several hundred at the cele-
bration Of William Dean Howells's
eightieth birthday last evening at the
National Arts Club. Mr.. Howells didn't
come.
However, that was not entirely un-
expected, Tor his friends knew that he
was modest man Of letters and
couldn't possibly be induced 10 come
all the way from Tryou, n. c., TO spend
an uncomfortable evening listening to
mpl.ments. Hamlin Garland read a
, characteristic letter. gently whimsical
20 explain the authors feelings about
the affair.
81 do not know whether 20 be more
daunted or delighted by the programme
of the meeting which YOU have sent
me- Mn. Howclls wrote. eff ! could
somehow be put outside the whole az
fair I think / could be not wholly un-
happy DO hearing the verses and the
song and the little play which YOU
promise. At it is, and az the worst, !
can count on unmiXcd pleasure in the
chairman's remarks, for | shall not
have 20 make them, and ! know they
will be of the kindness which is the
warp and wool of our long friendship.
Ten or twenty years from now ] hope
TO join you in concentrating the
birthday of some other octogenarian."
Many Tributes Received
Among the hundreds of letters and
eongratulatory messages received by
the committee which arranged the cell
ebratiOn were tributes from President
Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt. Those
and many others were read by Edward
j. Wheeler.
81 wish with all my heart that
could comply with the request con-
tanned i'm your letter Of February "A,
the President wrote. at would give
me great deal of pleasure TO pay
genuine tribIte to Mr.. Howells, but
10 would be unworthy of the subject
we're ] to try something oiihdnd which
would not be- q thoughtful and serious
assessment e. the remarkable work he
has done, and TO do that is for the
present out of the question. / can
only beg YOU will find some opportunity
10 convey TO him my warmest congratu-
latlOns and best wishes and an expires
sion Of my sincere admiration
Colonel Roosevelt wrote: "Nr How
ellis has played great and peculiar
part in the history of American liter
allure. He has combined to a very un-
usual degree the functions Of the I'm
ished artist and of the best type of
good citizen. / belong to the genera
tion whose youth was profoundly inhu-
enced by Mr.. Howells's books
No addresses were included in the
programme, which was arranged rather
to show the versatility of Mr.. HOwells
through his own works. Irving Bach
cller read from his boyhood reminis-
cences, which the creator Of "Silas lap
ham" must have written with much
chuckling. Florence Wilkinson Evans
showed Howells the poet in a recitation
Of the sombre Empty House"
Verse Recalled in Song
Mrs. Edward Mcdowell played her
husbands setting of The Haunted
House" which is believed to have been
inspired by the authors verse, and
Heinrich Meyn sang three songs by
Mcdowell also based on other verse
by Mr. Howells. The programme con-
Guided with @ performance of the de-
lightful farce, "The Register" which
was played by Frederick Valentine, May
Arno, Eric Baron and Daniel Behrend.
Mr.. Howell's birthday was on March
l. The committee which arranged the
deferred celebration last night was
composed Of John C.. Agar, president
of the National Arts Club: Winston
Churchill. president Of the Authors
League Of America; Ernest PeiXotto.
president Of the Mcdowell Club Of
New York City; Ida VI. Tarbell. presi-
dent of the Pen and Brush Club; Au-
gustus Thomas, president of the So
Ciety of American Dramatists and
Composers; Franklin II. Giddings,
chairman Of the Authors Club, and Ed
ward j. Wheeler president Of the
Poetry Society of America. Hamlin
Garland was chairman.
Hundreds of letters paying tribute
20 Mr.. Howells were received. Among
them were messages from Charles W.
Eliot. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge,
William Gillette. Richard Burton, Ellen
Glasgow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Win
ston Churchill, George W. Gable, Ed
ward W. Box, Edwin Markham. Fran
ces Hodgson Burnett, Gamaliel Brad
ford. Rupert Hughes Edwin Rowland
Blashfeld. Basil King, Cass Gilbert,
Brander Matthews, Walter Prchard
Eaton, Ernest Poole. Percy Mackaye,
William Lyons Phelps, Wallace Irwin,
Edwin Lefevre, Samuel Hopkins Adams
George AIDE Richard lie Gallienne and
many others.