A.W. Hawks, the laughing philosopher

              A. W. Hawks,
The Laughing Philosopher
Sunshine Hawks.
LECTURETTES :
"SUNSHINE AND SHADOW." "PEOPLE I HAVE MET."
Under Sole Management
Southern Lyceum Bureau,
Board of Trade Building, Louisville.
PREAMBLE
IN the entertainments given by A. W. Hawks, the laughing philosopher, tears follow laughter. He tells funny stories, recounts pathetic incidents. He is without a peer, his facial expression is wonderful; no costume, no make-up. Mr. Hawks wears his store clothes and makes his own faces He comes endorsed by the entire Clergy and Press of his own State, Maryland. The record of ^jj return dates is phenomenal.
A FEW PERSONAL  MISSIVES.

The Tabernacle Lyceum.
NASHVII^E, TENN., Oct. 20,1900. Southern Lyceum Bureau, Louisville, Ky.
Gentlemen:—Hawks is O. K. He carried our people by storm. The audience numbered 3500 to 4000, and I believe they all heard. You recommended him unqualifiedly and we were more than delighted with him. We don't ever want better. Could not have had a better number to open our course with. You know we were a little afraid to open with a lecture, but Hawks beats a concert company and he thoroughly delighted our people. Thanking you, I remain, Yours truly,
W. CARL WYATT, Secy.
Silliman Collegiate Institute.
CLINTON, LA., November 17, 1900. Southern Lyceum Bureau, Louisville, Ky.
Dear Sirs:—I take pleasure in stating that Mr. A. W. Hawks came to us at the time appointed and we had a superb audience. Our people were very much pleased with the lecture given us by Mr. Hawks, so much so that we would be glad to have him return at some future time. Ver|y respectfully,
F. W. LEWIS, Pres't.
CORNING, N. Y., February 13,1900. Mr. A. W. Hawks gave an excellent entertainment at the Opera House last evening, under the auspices of the Y.  M.  C. A.    I  have never heard  an  impersonator who
Eleased  me as  much,  and  is  doing  a  greater work for umanity.                               WM. E. KIMBALL,
Gen'I Secy   Y. MCA., Corning, N. Y.
CARTERSVIU.E, GA., March 1, 1899. To the Public.—I have frequently listened to, laughed at and enjoyed the renditions of A. W. Hawks. His fun and philosophy leave a good taste in my mouth and I am always ready for more of the sort he gives. Sometimes he makes me cry, but whether I laugh or cry I enjoy every word he says, and his ugly faces makes me laugh myself sore. He is naturally pretty, but artificially ugly. Best of all he is an all around good fellow.
Sincerely yours,        SAM. P. JONES.
CLARINDA, IOWA, August 14, 1899. I take great pleasure in saying that A. W. Hawks, of Baltimore, was with us one week during our annual As¬sembly this year, and that no man has appeared on our platform that has been so popular with all classes as Hawks. He is ready at all times, and on all occasions. His wit, humor, pathos, and common sense reaches all hearts.    Our people hope to have him again.
WILLIAM ORR, President Clarinda Chautauqua
Corning Academy.
CORNING, IOWA, January 1, 1900. Southern L^yceum Bureau.
Sirs:—I am pleased to say that Prof. Hawks delighted the audience in Corning. Should he return we would all be delighted to hear him again.           Yours very truly,
REV. T. D. EWING.
We take great pleasure in saying we were much pleased with the lecture you gave us. It was certainly one that will leave its impress upon the people who listened to it, and enjoyed the fun which was of the highest class com-bined with the exaltation of the Christ-like manhood makes up the kind of lectures we need in our Association Courses.    We trust it may be so we may have you again.
A. M. CLKMENCK, General Secretary, Waco, Texas.
Peabody Normal.
NASHVJXLE, TKNN., Jan. 12, 1900. Sirs:—Mr. Hawks was first class in every respect.   He entertained our people thoroughly.     W. E. "YAl'GHAN.
BARNESVII<I<E, OHIO, September :50, 1897. Mr. A. W. Hawks has surely found his proper sphere as a humorous lecturer. With a wit which sparkles and a humor of rarest flavor he shows people their frailties in such a manner as not only to awaken peals of laughter, but at the same time to make them long for a larger and better life. His lectures at the Epworth Park Assembly of 1897 turned his hearers into friends for life. Long may he live and do his happy work.           D. C. OSBORNK, D. D.
Sup't. of Instruction at Epworth Park Assembly.
One of the Best Humorists in this Country. By all means secure Mr. A. W. Hawks for an entertainment in your Courses of Lectures and Entertainments. I lis humor is bright, instructive and irresistible. He is a friend to the Association and speaks a good word for the Associa¬tion whenever he has an opportunity.
W. E. WAYTE, State Secretary, Dal/as, Texas, j
BALTIMORE, MD., March 30, 1897.
My esteemed friend and neighbor, Mr. A. W. Hawks, has often lectured before audiences composed of tl faculty and students of the Maryland State Normal School, and their friends—and always to the delight of his aud¬iences. He is absolutely irresistible as a humorist, and scarcely less so in his pathos. He makes you laugh and he makes you cry.
Moreover, Hawks is a Christian gentleman of the lug11" est character and the purest life. His humor is clean, and his pathos moves toward kindness and true benevolence. As a lecturer he is sui generis, and to be appreciated, &c must be heard.               Very respectfully,
E. B. PRETTYMAN,       1 Principal State Normal Sc/«)lH-
MARIETTA, GA., January 9, 1901.   J Dear Bureau.
You certainly did not over-rate Mr. Hawks     He lSJZ bright as new money, and surely catches the people, long for his   return.    He  strengthened  our course verj much.    Socially, he is charming.    In every respect I ^ pleased with him.                        Yours sincerely,
GEO. E. NOLAN, Manager Lyceum
Press Enconiums
New Jersey.
^ W. Hawks, the humorist of this city lectured last night in Trenton, XT j It was Mr. Hawks' 10th consecu¬tive engagement on the star course of the Trenton Young Men's Christian Association, and in order to accommo¬date tbo.se who had purchased seats in advance, it was necessary to give as a
matinee
the lecture on <k Sunshine and
Shadow,"   which was  also   the even
ness
-Baltimore Herald, Jan. 29, 1901.
New York.
A W. Hawks, the Laughing Philoso¬pher, of Baltimore, lectured before the students of the Jamestown business college and visiting friends Wednes¬day afternoon. Subject: People I Have
Met                                        r 11       r      •*           i
The   lecture   was   full   of wit   and
pathos. From rounds of applause the audience was again and again hushed into silence by some tender and touch¬ing incident. The speaker said that he had lived in the North and in the South and that he had traveled " all over and under" the United States and consequently had met a great many kinds of people. He had seen tall peo¬ple, short people, good people and bad people; but, although he had lived in the South, he had never seen any colored people. He had seen some black ile, but they were born that way, and not colored.
He told a pathetic story of a boy in his Sunday school class, who sustained his mother and sister upon $2 per week, and from this meaner sum he had saved 87 cents for the cause of Christ which 0Q his deathbed he gave to Mr. Hawks for that purpose. Jamestown Evening Journal, Feb. 8, 1901.
Arkansas.
Mr. A. W. Hawks delivered his famous lecture on "Sunshine" at the South odist church Tuesday evening, and to say that his audience was pleased is putting it light. Through all his wit and humor he interspersed rich jewels . of thought, freighted with noble chris¬tian sentiment, leaving bright rays of sunshine in the hearts and lives o"f his hearers.
Mr. Hawks will probably be among the lecturers at the Chautauqua next and our people will hail his second coming with delight.—State Line Re¬publican, Mammoth Spring, Oct. 22, 1899.                               r
Pennsylvania.
st evening A. W. Hawks, better known as " the laughing philosopher,"
leliverjd his famous lecture on "Peo¬ple I Have Met." Mr. Hawks held his •""hence from the beginning of his Wk, Ins quaint sayings of persons with
rioni he came in contact, and the * musical manner in which heexpress-W them, stamped him as being truly
"" laughing philosopher. The lecture •»s thoroughly enjoyed by the vastas-^''"ihlage present.— Times and Dis-pat''i, Reading, Oct. 28, 1900.
Mr. A. W. Hawks, of Baltimore, Md., one of 1 lie leading Chautanqua speak¬ers in the United States, addressed a large' audience at the Lyric Theatre yesterday afternoon and used as his theme "Happiness." Mr. Hawks is a very forcible and eloquent speaker and the large audience listened with rapt attention to his masterly address which was interpolated with many witty sto¬ries that the speaker used to emphasize his points.—Allentown Morning Call, Feb. 5. 1901.
A. W. Hawks, "the laughing philoso¬pher," lectured last evening in the Opera House under the auspices of the High School Alumni Association on " Sunshine and Shadow." His quaint, apt sayings and the whimsical and dry manner in which he told his jokes kept his audience in the best of humor. The audience was moved to tears at one moment by the touching pathos of sor story which he would tell, only to be convulsed with laughter the next mo¬ment by a joke told in his inimitable witty, manner.—Pottstozvn News, Oct 24, 1900.
Ohio.
A lecturette by A. W. Hawks. Sub¬ject, " Sunshine and Shadow." His stories and anecdotes kept the people in a roar of laughter, yet as quickly would he bring tears to the eyes of his listeners with a pathetic story.— Wells-c'ille Reporter, Oct. 6, 1899.
Last evening all was sunshine at the First Presbyterian Church. The attrac¬tion being Mr. A. W. Hawks, of Balti¬more, Maryland, who entertained a large audience with a lecture, entitled " Sunshine and Shadow," for the benefit of the Y. M. C. A.
It was apparent to those present that Mr. Hawks was in earnest when he said "very few men amount to very much until they have won the respect and love of some good, true, noble-hearted woman. A woman is the making of many a man."
A very just and fitting tribute was paid to Frances Willard. Mr. Hawks pronounced her the grandest uncrown¬ed queen that had ever lived.
Mr. Hawks made a strong plea for the boy in the home. Too often he is given an out-of-the-way room with meagre furniture and with nothing of a home-like air about it.
Many incidents related by the speaker appealed very forcibly to the audience and all were sincerely sorry when the time came to close the interesting and instructive lecture.—Delaware Repub¬lican, Feb. 1, 1899.
Kentucky.
Sparkling with wit and humor and teeming with sunshine and smiles was the lecture delivered at Library Hall last night by A. W. Hawks, of Balti-' moie, under the auspices of the Louis¬ville Lyceum.
Mr. Hawks chose for his subject "Sunshine and Shadow," and the man¬ner in which he handled it stamped him as a speaker of extraordinary ability. His lecture is irresistibly amus¬ing, and every sentence is punctuated
with a pun or a witticism. The audi¬ence was large and the speaker was fre¬quently applauded.—Courier-Journal, Louisville J an, 27, 1900
A. W. Hawk, of Baltimore, opened the Lyceum lecture course at Temple thea¬tre last night with his lecture on " Sun¬shine." Almost every seat in the house was taken. For two hours he enter¬tained the crowd by his stories and quaint philosophy. His optimistic views of life and living are very much along the lines of Talmage. In fact, one could almost imagine he was hear¬ing Talmage, except for the absence of the foghorn voice and the ungainly gestures of the great preacher. Hawks is a graceful orator and an entertaining speaker, and his lecture was a very fitting opening to the Lyceum course. —Owensboro Daily Messenger, Oct 18, 1900.
Tennessee.
A large audience of the best people of Clarksville were delighted last night by the lecture of Mr. A. W. Hawks at Waddel Hall. His hearers were an¬ticipating something good, the fame of the lecturer having preceded him, but they soon found the half had not been told them. The subject was "People I Have Met," and the treatment was mag¬nificent. Mr. Hawks swayed his aud¬ience at will.—Leaf-Chronicle, Clarks¬ville, October 18, 1899.
Missouri.
The lecture course was opened at Hays' opera house Tuesday night by A. W. Hawks, the laughing philos¬opher. The attendance was good and lecture first class. It exceeded the ex¬pectations of those who were expect¬ing much. He has a splendid way of impressing upon his hearers the im¬portance and the gems of his lecture. "Sunshine" was his subject, and we be¬lieve it impossible to hear him without being better therefor. He created laughter in those who had seldom laughed before and therefore thawed out or loosened up some of those old sober-sides who are menace to con¬genial society. Should the professor come again it would be difficult to find room in our opera house for all who want to hear him.— Unionville Panta-graph, Nov. 3, 1899.
A. W. Hawks lectured last evening at. the Academy of Music under the auspices of the Y. M. C. A., the lecture being the fifth of the Star course. "Sunshine and Shadow" was the doc¬tor's topic and in its delivery he blend¬ed pathos, mirth, common sense and philosophy in a masterly manner, and earned the appreciation of a very large audience.—Kansas City Times, December 14, 1898.
Indiana.
The lecture "Sunshine and Shad¬ow," given by Mr. A. W. Hawks at Metropolitan Hall Monday night, was an artistic success. As this was the first number of the season it is for¬tunate for the ladies having the series in charge that -their first attraction pleased. Mr. Hawks has ability; he has it in plenty.    As a character actor
Press Enconiums
he especially excels. As the title in¬dicates, his lecture was blended mirth and pathos, and this so skillfully woven and ably delivered that he had the most gratifying attention throughout the lecture. He accomplished the double purpose of furnishing an enjoyable en-tertainment and putting a few "thinks" into the heads of his hearers which will (as he put it) "come to them when Hawks is forgotten."— Vcvay Democrat, October 11, 1900.
The lecture course of Corydon was opened at School Hall. Friday evening, with a lecture by Prof. A. W. Hawks, the laughing philosopher, of Balti¬more, Md. His theme was "Sunshine and Shadow" and he held his large audience in marked attention through¬out the one hour and a half. His wit and humor were truly wonderful. His sudden changes from the amusing and ridiculous to the iutensely pathetic were marvelous and brought smiles and tears to his auditors at the same time. The picturing of the 'mews-boy's Christmas dinner" and other similar stories touched a tender chord in the audience and will do us all good in causing us to teach the gospel of good cheer in sending sunshine to the hearts of ^hose about us.
Go on, Mr. Hawks, you are making the world better.— Corydon Democrat, October 15, 1900.
Kansas.
"Sunshine and Shadow" was the sub¬ject of Mr. Hawks' lecture last Satur¬day evening and it was as bright as ever shone from an Italian or a Kan¬sas sky. He said much that was funny but nothing that was frivolous. His objects were to interest and to teach the gospel of good cheer, and he was successful in doing both. While he made the audience roar with laughter at times he gave everyone something to think about. The lecture will have a lasting influence for good upon the community. Mr. Hawks greatly en¬deared himself to the people.— The Republican, Lincoln, January 5, 1899.
Iowa.
Mr. A. W. Hawks delivered an unique and inimitable lecture on " Sunshine and Shadow," in the Opera House, which was crowded to its utmost capa¬city, scores being turned away. Mr. Hawks was brimful of and running over with humor. His wit is clean and his philosophy transparent. And his fun is never made at the expense of the keen edge of the public's moral sensi¬bilities. He keeps the people in roars of laughter from beginning to end of his lecture without descending to slang terms or vulgarity. He was a tremen¬dous success in Lenox and will be greeted with a full house should he ever visit our town again.—Lenox Time-Table, Aug. 26, 1899.
North Carolina.
The vSecond number of the Y. M. C. A. Star Course was given at the Audi¬torium last night by Mr. A. W. Hawks, of Baltimore, who gave a most accept¬able humorous—we would say " lec¬ture," but it was more than a lecture, it
was an entertainment of rare merit. Mr. Hawks is a gentleman possessing the rare ability to entertain and at the same time instruct and elevate and in¬spire in the minds and hearts of his hearers the desire for higher living and nobler impulses. His subject last night was " Sunshine and Shadow'" which he handled in a manner that captivated the entire audience, who showed their appreciation of his efforts by their most hearty applause throughout the evening. At times, however, during the more serious part of the discourse his pathetic narrations and actions and touching incidents brought tears to many eyes.— The Journal, Winston-Salem, Dec. 23, 1898.
West Virginia.
HUNTINGTON, W. VA., Dec. 21,1898. The Presbyterian Lecture Associa¬tion is to be congratulated in having been able to secure Mr. A. W. Hawks to deliver a lecture to the people of Hunt¬ington, and those who missed hearing him last night, missed a treat. The audience were continually either laugh¬ing or crying and so sudden were his changes from the pathetic to the amus¬ing that more than one could be seen with tears in their eyes and a broad smile on their faces. It was indeed an evening of April " Sunshine and Shad-ow," and we feel confident that those who had the pleasure of hearing him last night feel that the world is brighter to-day. We hope that the Association will have Mr. Hawks again.
Nebraska Chautauquas.
The lecture of A. W. Hawks, yester¬day afternoon is pronounced by all who heard it as one of the most entertain¬ing and interesting talks ever made from the tabernacle platform. He exer¬cises a wonderful control over his audi¬ences and has the faculty to a remark-able degree of exciting every emotion of pleasure or sadness among his hearers at will. At the same time he is a humorist of the highest order.— The Daily Express, Beatrice, June 30, 1900.
Sunshine Hawks lectured again at the afternoon meeting. The reputa¬tion which he stored up for himself on that day previous was still fresh in the minds of his hearers and they were ex¬pecting a treat. The address was on the same order, and received equally as much praise. It was the same thing over again, laughter and tears, each in turn, and following each other in quick succession. It seems to be one of the chief characteristics of the speaker to see how near he can get his hearers to tears and then draw them back without allowing the tears to come.
The subject yesterday was, " People I have Met." To the listener it seemed that he had met a great many. At least he described a great many and whether it was due to the fact that he is more observing than the average man, or whether he has really seen more types of humanity is not a necessary ques¬tion. He told about them and it was in a manner highly interesting and in¬structive.— The State Journal, Lincoln, Aug. 20, 1900.
Georgia.
The second attraction of the Dublin Lyceum Course was A. W. Hawks, the laughing Baltimore philosopher, last Tuesday night. Mr. Hawks was greeted by a large audience. It was an appre¬ciative one, and many a spontaneous laugh went up as the lecturer told a funny anecdote. Sometimes he would tell a pathetic story, and then the tears would come, but the anecdotes pr# dominated and there were more laughs than tears.
Mr. Hawks is just what he is adver¬tised as being—the laughing philoso¬pher. It is an impossibility for one to hear him and not laugh. There is no doubt but that as an apostle of sunshine he is an immense success.
Maj. Hawks left on Wednesday for Tennille where he lectured Wednesday night. From Tennille he goes to De-Land, Fla.—Dublin Courier-Dispatch, Jan. 13, 1901.
Mr. A. W. Hawks, the laughing philosopher, was greeted with a large audience at the opera house on Satur¬day night to hear his lecture on " Shad¬ows and Sunshine." For one hour he kept his audience in convulsions of laughter, amused and entertained. He pleased and delighted, and it is hoped to have him at the Marietta Chautau¬qua this summer.—Marietta Herald, Jan. 10, 1901.
Mississippi.
BI,UE MOUNTAIN, Oct. 18, 1900. Mr. A. W. Hawks was with us on the 13th, and gave great satisfaction. His lecture on Sunshine was delightful. He made many friends here, who felt that he gave them both pleasure and inspiration.    We wish him again.
Truly,       B. G. LOWREY, Prest. I
Alabama.
FLORENCE, Jan. 11,1901. j Gentlemen:—Your Mr. A. W. Hawks came to us on the 8th. From all indi¬cations, the attraction gave entire satis¬faction—everyone delighted. By all means let us have him again next sea¬son.           Yours truly,
FRANK H. MASON, Chair. Y. M. C. A. Ent. Com.
Texas.
A. W. Hawks lectured at the opera house Tuesday night Jan. 16th under the auspices of the Lyceum, the subject of his lecture was Sunshine. Mr. Hawks pleased the people and his lecture is considered the best attraction of the Lyceum course so far this season. He was very entertaining and every one that attended enjoyed a very hearty laugh at his wise and witty expressions, and he can truly be called the laughing philosopher, for he keeps his audience in an uproar of laughter ail of trie time, and at the same time is glV™l them something that is for their gooa and no one can listen to Hawks withou being benefitted. He delighted oui people and all are unanimous in trie clamor for the management of tin' hj ceum course to bring him back ne season.—The Lockhart Post, /an. lv> 1900.