EDGAR WILSON NYE, who has become famous as a humorist under the pen name of "Bill Nye," was born in Shirley, Piscataqua County, Maine, August 25, 1850. His family removed to Wisconsin shortly afterwards, and the boy was educated at River Falls, in that State. Early in the seventies he went to Wyoming Territory; he there studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1876. While in Wyoming he served in several public capacities, as postmaster of Laramie and as a member of the legislature. He had early begun to furnish humorous sketches to the newspapers, and for some time was connected with the press as correspondent. He returned to Wisconsin in 1883. In 1886 he was connected with the New York "World," and since then has been a weekly contributor to numerous papers. As a lecturer and reader from his own books Mr. Nye has been very successful. In 1891 he produced a play, "The Cadi," at a New York theatre. His best-known books are "Bill Nye and the Boomerang," "The Forty Liars," "Baled Hay," and "Remarks." Mr. Nye has resided, for some time past, near Asheville, N.C.
GEORGE W. CABLE was born in New Orleans in 1844. He obtained an ordinary public-school education. His early life was spent as a clerk in a commercial office, varied by successful contributions to "The New Orleans Picayune" under the signature of "Drop-Shot." In 1863 he joined the Confederate Army, and served in the Fourth Regiment Mississippi Cavalry, until the end of the civil war. His first literary work to attract general attention was a short story, "Sieur George," published in the old "Scribner's Monthly." To that periodical he contributed numerous other sketches of creole life, which were published in book form in 1879. Other stories and articles followed, and Mr. Cable, after working up to a leading position in the mercantile world, from that of an errand boy, devoted himself to literature as a profession. "The Grandissimes," in 1880, "Madame Delphine," 1881, "The Creoles of Louisiana" and "Dr. Sevier," 1884, established him in a high place amongst modern authors. His knowledge of the South, and his studies among the creoles and negroes, made him an authority upon the questions relating to the past and future of the negro and the southern States, and involved him in numerous and heated discussions. "The Silent South," 1885, and "The Negro Question," 1890, are the most prominent of his works on this subject. As a lecturer and reader he is widely known.