The (Milwaukee) Sentinel

Mark Twain and George W. Cable appeared at the Academy of Music last night in the presence of a small but delighted audience. The programme was made up of selections from the writings of the two well-known authors. Mr. Cable's readings were from his recent novel, Dr. Sevier, and were listened to with the greatest interest. Mr. Cable has a clear and distinct voice and speaks with almost painful slowness, putting a careful emphasis on each syllable and apparently weighing well all his utterances. He does not possess a commanding stage presence, nor is his voice particularly strong, yet the modesty of his demeanor makes a good impression and he makes friends as he proceeds. With Mark Twain it is different. The celebrated humorist is no less modest than his younger confrere, but he is more at home on the stage. He walks on with a careless shambling gait, tells the most uproariously funny stories in his inimitable way, without the faintest shadow of a smile crossing his countenance, and retires with the same air of careless indifference. His selections from the advance sheets of his new story, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," were heartily received, but it was not until he gave his "Tragic Tale of a Fishwife," leading up to it with an exquisitely humorous description of the difficulties he encountered in an attempt to master the grammar of the German language, that the audience fully appreciated his quaint drollery. The laughter was incessant and it increased in force as he graphically described his meeting with an acquaintance whom he had forgotten, but who remembered him. His terrible mental agony was depicted with all the force of the genuine humorist, and drew forth roars of laughter. Mr. Cable rendered a number of Creole songs and recited "Mary's Night Ride" with remarkable dramatic intensity. Before commencing the recitation he said that the story of the life of John and Mary Richling had been told him by a friend. Mary's home had been in Milwaukee, and it was to Milwaukee she had come in the midst of her trouble, leaving her husband to battle so manfully alone in New Orleans. It was from Milwaukee she started out so bravely to reach her husband in the trying times of the war. He had looked forward to a visit to the city which had been the home of his heroine, with a hope that he might grasp the hand of that noble woman. Following is the programme for to-night:

Narcisse in the Inundation..........Geo. W. Cable
Desperate Encounter with an Interviewer
 ......................................Mark Twain
A Sound of Drums........................Mr. Cable
Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer's Brilliant
 Achievement...........................Mark Twain
Raoul Innerarity Exhibits His Picture...Mr. Cable
The Jumping Frog.......................Mark Twain
Mary's Night Ride.......................Mr. Cable
Selection..............................Mark Twain

  Mark Twain and George W. Cable repeated their pleasing entertainnment at the Academy of Music, last night, giving a number of new selections. The audience was much larger than on the previous night and appeared to heartily enjoy the readings.