Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1889 — STANLEY’S WRATH. [ARTICLE]

STANLEY’S WRATH.

Some Interesting Experiences of the Famoas African Explorer. Frank HL lunn ths OnriatUn Union. The following facts concerning Henry M. Stanley have never been in print They were given to me by William Bradford, the marine artist and arctic explorer: J In the year 1873 Mr. Bradford, returned from his Greenland explorations, was in London," published his sumptuous volume bn “The Arctic Regions.” It was brought out under the patronage of Queen Victoria at Ji2s per copy. At this time he met Stanley, who was in a towering rage. “He was just.,back,” said the Urtist, “from finding Livingstone, and was now very angry at the cavalier way in which he had been treated 1 about publishing his book through Murray. '’lt seems that John Murray was away, and the partner present had received Stanley quite nonchalantly, and said he was not quite sure whether they could publish his book or not, and, anywav, nothing could be done about it until Mr. Murray’s return. I said to him, ‘Mr. Stanley, are you particular to have Mr. Murray publish your book?’ ‘No,’ ‘Well, I caa tell you of some very good publishers, who, I think, would be glad to publish it, and that is the firm of Sampson Low & Co. They are publishing my book, and, I think, would be glad to publish yours. If you wish, I will see them about it’ ‘Do so, Mr. Bradford; I’ll be glad to have you.’ “So I went down and saw Mr. Marston, of the firm, and said to him, ‘Mr. Marston, would you like to publish Stanley’s new book on Africa?’ ‘Yes, sir, indeed we would; but I thought Murray was going to have it’ ‘No, I guess not. Would you like to see Mr. Stanley?’ ‘Certainly, sir?’ ‘Very well I’ll bring him down this afternoon.’ As I was going out he said, ‘Mr. Bradfoil, do you suppose that Mr. Stanley is ready to consider an offer for his book?’ ‘I think so, sir.’ | " > “I took Stanley down to see them, and Mr. Marston asked him if he was prepared to consider an offer then and there. ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Well, Mr. Stanley, we will give you SIO.OGO for it and a liberal share of the profits. ’ “‘l’ll do it,’ said Stanley. And a happier man you’ve seldom seen. ‘Now Mr. Stanley,” said Mr. Marston, ‘when can you begin to furnish us copy?’ ‘To-morrow morning, sir, and every day thereafter till it’s done.’ ‘Just one word more, Mr. Stanley. Will you please say nothing about this for font weeks? I’ve special reason for asking.’ ‘Yes, sir, that suits me,’ said Stanley. And so the bargain was closed, and Sampson, Low & Marston have been Stanley’s publishers ever since. “A few weeks later Stanley went in to see John Murray, and the following conversation occurred: ‘Mr. Murray, I’ve come to see about your publishing my book. Do you wish to?’ ‘Yes, I think that we may be able to, Mr. Stanley. But we cannot afford to give you much for it, as it is a kind of experiment. But we’ll publish it, Mr. Stanley.’ “ ‘No you won’t, broke in Stanley with an oath, and, turning op his heel, left the great English publisher astounded at the young African explorer’s audacity. “On another occasion,” says Mr. Bradford, “I was sitting at a great banquet of the British Association at Brighton. It was in the evening after the ‘African afternoon,’ so-called. Stanley had been down for a speech late in the afternoon after several English geographers had spoken. But I noticed during the second speech, by Mr. C. R. Markham, of the Royal Geographical Society, that Stanley’s wrath was rising. The speaker, in alluding to Livingstone, had just said a word reflecting upon him. As soon as Markham was done, Stanley, at two bounds, was in the center of the platform, and, leaning forward" and stretching out his forefinger with concentrated scorn toward Markham, began; ‘You easy chair geographers, sitting on your cushioned velvet carpets, what do you know about it? Livingstone, after a long, arduous, perilous march, says; “I think I have found the sources of the Nile” But you, from the seclusion of your libraries, declare: “We know that he has -not” What right have you to decide such-a question?’ And then he gave it to them hot. And yet in fifteen minutes be had them all, ladies and gentlemen, on their feet crying: ‘Hear, hear, hear!’ TMe Baroness Burdett Uoutts waived hei handkerchief, and even the Emperor’ Napoleon, who was present with the Empress Eugenie, arose and handeq Stanley their card. I tell you Stanley was the most scathing man I ever* listened to when he was mad over Lyviagstone. “So, in the evening,/before going to the banquet, I said tojiim, ‘Now, Stanley, keep your temper. Don’t disgrace yourself. Don’t say a word to-night’ For I knew this very Markham was going to preside. Well, Stanley promised that he wouldn’t say ene word. But they ’filaced him at Markham’s right hand A] I -sat across the table where! could see him. Pretty soon I noticed thatjVe and Markham were talking earnektly. Then the bulldog look tame into Stanley’s face. And then he jumped up and 'off he went.l __ r “ T t Stems that Markham had urged him to kpeak. but Stanley had declined, when .-the following conversation ensucdf ‘But, Mr. Stanley, you must speak.

That is th® purpose for which they invited you here.’ ‘l® that the reason they invited me here?* ‘Certainly, Mr. Stanley, we expect you to favor u with a speech.’ ‘Well. I won’t. But’— thrusting his hand deep into -nis pocket —‘here’s a guinea for my dinner.* And ofi he stalked in a towering rage."