Scott,

These are wonderful, and always a joy to read.

Thank you!

Dusty Zima
Elmira College

On 3/20/15, Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I cam across this "review" of the show quite by fortuitous circumstance.
> I was inquiring of the archivist at Northwestern University, Evanston,
> IL about the show in that town on January 18, 1885.  They did a number
> of searches and came up with several references about the students
> preparing for the show but found nothing on the actual venue nor a
> review of the show but they did find a review of the Ann Arbor show
> published in their own newspaper.
>
> Northwestern: Date 12-19-1884, Page 2; Evanston, Illinois (copyright
> NewsBank 2011)
>
> The Academy says that Mr. George W. Cable shares with Nathaniel
> Hawthorne, Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mr. Bret Harte, the
> distinction of striking out a vein of indigenous American fiction, which
> is no mere provincial copying of English literature, as the major part
> of American fiction, which has not already copied these three, has
> hitherto shown itself to be.  Mr. Cable and Mark Twain seem to be making
> a marked success of their new joint-combination venture, the author of
> Creole Days providing the sober, and pathetic, and acting as a
> safety-valve for the exuberant humor of his companion.  All selections
> are taken from the works of the lecturers.  A week ago to-night they
> succeeded in entertaining an audience of three thousand at University
> Hall, Ann Arbor.  It is reported that the audience not only greeted the
> lecturers, but slapped them on the back, as it were, so enthusiastic was
> its cordiality.  The students generally, of whom the audience was
> largely composed, abandoned themselves to the most thunderous laughter
> every time Twain appeared on the stage; staid members of the University
> Faculty, who always maintained a twenty degrees below zero countenance
> in the classroom, laughed till they were out of breath; law professors,
> wrapped up in ponderous legal volumes, and who have not been known to
> smile in twenty-one years, fairly rolled off their seats from laughter
> at every point Twain made.  Even a couple of Japanese students, who,
> although having a fair command of English, could not readily see the
> incongruities of Twain's remarks, felt in duty bound to join in the
> general feeling, and undoubtedly did their best, although several times
> they broke forth in the wrong place to the astonishment of those about
> them.  Mr. Cable gave several selections from Dr. Sevier, and sung in a
> fine tenor voice two Creole songs.  He was well received, but Mark's
> famous whistling story, and his wierd[sic] unearthly “Who-o-o-o's got my
> go-o-o-o-old-en arm?” with its unexpected denouement brought down the
> house.
>
> The Senior class has this popular combination billed for the evening of
> January 19 next.  Be sure and get your tickets.  A limited number of
> reserved seats is on sale at $1.00 per ticket.  Unreserved tickets are
> to be obtained for 75 cents.  A. F. Mathews, Cornell University, '83, is
> acting manager for Messrs. Twain and Cable.
>
> Courtesy of
> Janet C. Olson
> Assistant University Archivist
> Northwestern University Library
>
>
>
>
> --
>  There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of
>                           in your philosophy.
>                         http://bscottholmes.com
>