The New York herald., 1922-07-02

FLSEWHERE in this issue of the
~ combined magazine and book
section there will be found the first
of very interesting series of remi-
niscent articles by Mr.. Edward w.
Townsend. The world moves swift
ly, and there are probably many of
the younger generation who do not
realize how varied Mr.. Townsend's
life has been, and that there was
time when he was the author the
most discussed and, above all, the
most quoted in these United States.
1t was the mother of the fiapper of
to-day who felt herself delightfully."-
near the edge of the moral preci
piee when she echoed the expressive
aWot'ell." of Mr.. Townsend's little
Bowery boy. Chimmie Fadden.
THE star reporter on THE New
= YORK Sun, Mr.. Townsend, was
one day sent to cover" newsboys'
dinner at the Brace Memorial
Newsboys Lodging House. There
the idea of Chimmie Fadden first
came to him. At the dinner was
the woman, slum worker, who
was the original of Miss Fannie of
the stories. After the first tale had
been written Mr.. Charles A. Dana
sent word ordering the writing of
the second story. Others followed
and began to be known and quoted.
One day Mr.. Chester S. Lord, then
the managing editor of THE Sun.
said: Cant you run up and find
that little Bowery chap you've been
writing about and get him to talk
some more" "Oh," said Townsend,
hes purely an imaginary charac-
ter" "Then imagine some more
about him."
TT was a very different New York
! that was reflected for us in
those Chimmie Fadden tales of the
early nineties. The Bowery was
still the Bowery. and was almost as
Irish in origin and flavor as it had
been in the days of the "Bowery
boys" AS companion in life Mr..
Townsend bestowed upon Chimmie
a French lady's maid. whom Chin
mie dubbed "de Duchess" Other
characters of the tales were "de
Duchess's" mistress, Miss Fannie.
Miss Fannie's father, to whom
Chimmie fiippantly referred to as
His Whiskers." and Mr.. Paul, who
eventually became Miss Fannie's
second husband. One of the drollest
Of the stories was that which told
OF the appearance of Chimmie and
''..de Duchess" at the festivities of
the Rose Leaf Social Outing and
Life Saving Association When Mr..
Townsend was in San Francisco he
and number of other members of
the Bohemian Club spent most of
their leisure time cruising about on
g yacht. They adopted the humor-
Gus title Rose Leaf Social and Out
ing Club" On one of these cruises
they rescued the crew of boat that
had capsized in the bay, and the
Life Saving" was added in com
memoration of this event.
Gt
A FTER the stories that made up
Il the first Chimmie Fadden
book had appeared in THE Sun Mr..
Townsend went to Mr.. Dana to ask
permission to have them brought
out in book form. Mr.. Dana, in
giving the required consent, added,
as, he then thought extravagantly,
""And / hope that you sell ten thou
sand copies" A few months later
a close friend of Mr.. Dana gave Mr..
Townsend a dinner to celebrate the
hundred thousandth copy of Chin
mie Fadden" sold. The next morn
ing Mr.. Dana went to Mr.. Town
sends desk in THE Sun office and,
after referring to the dinner, said:
Can you tell me why 'Chimmie
Fadden' has reached a hundred
thousand?" Because" replied
Townsend Hnf the sentimental rn