AND How to Hold an Audience A COLLECTION OF SHORT K645/ COPYRIGHT 1908 BY FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 2-30 wahr 9-4-30 22290 INTRODUCTORY In preparing this volume the author has been guided by his own platform experience extending over twelve years. During that time he has given hundreds of public recitals before audiences of almost every description, and in all parts of the country. It may not be considered presumptuous, therefore, for him to offer some practical suggestions on the art of entertaining and holding an audience, and to indicate certain selections which he has found have in themselves the elements of success. The "encore fiend," as he is sometimes called, is so ubiquitous and insistent that no speaker or reader can afford to ignore him, and, indeed, must prepare for him in advance. To find material that will satisfy him in one or in a dozen of the ordinary books of selections is an almost impossible task. It is only too obvious that many compilations of the kind are put together by persons who have had little or no practical platform experience. In an attempt to remedy this defect this volume has been prepared. It is believed that the book will be valuable not only to the amateur and the professional reader, speaker, elocutionist, and entertainer, but also to the after-dinner and impromptu speaker, the politician who wants to make a "hit," the business man who wishes to tell a good story and tell it effectively, the school-teacher in arranging her "Friday Afternoon" programs, as well as for reading aloud in the family circle, and for many other occasions. Providing, as this work does, helpful hints on how to an audience, it is hoped that the additional suggest offered regarding the use of the voice and its modulat the art of pausing, the development of feeling and ene the use of gesture and action, the cultivation of the imag tion, the committing of selections to memory, and the sta ing before an audience, while not as elaborate and deta as found in a regular manual of elocution, will be of p tical benefit to those who can not conveniently comm the services of a personal instructor. The author has been greatly assisted in this undertak not only by the kind permission of publishers and auth to use their copyrighted work, but also by the hearty operation of many distinguished platform speakers readers who have generously contributed successful se tions not hitherto published. The author gratefully acknowledges the special per sion granted him by the publishers to print the follow copyright selections: "Keep A-goin'!" the Bobbs-Mer Company; "A Modern Romance," the Publishers of Smart Set; "The Fool's Prayer," Houghton, Mifflin Company; "Mammy's Li'l' Boy," and " "Späcially Jin the Century Company; "Counting One Hundred,' Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company; "At Five O'clock Te the Publishers of Lippincott's Magazine. New York City, GRENVILLE KLEISER |