Horace B. Liveright, Gelett Burgess, F. Scott Fitzgerald And Others Of Authors' League Fellowship Help Along “Friendly Discourse”

The proceedings were closed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of “This Side of Paradise” and “The Beautiful and Damned.” He is young. He has blond hair parted in the middle and his smile delights women everywhere. “This boy-octogenarian,” said Burgess in introducing him, ’’will now finish off the subject.”

“It’s absurd,” said Fitzgerald, walking up and down and smiling right and left. “It's absurd. My wife wouldn't come because she knows whenever I've tried to make a speech I’ve made an ass of myself.”

There were two women present to every man and all the women seemed to be murmuring encouragement. Friendliness rose out of the audience like a gentle mist. Mr. Fitzgerald found himself between two chairs and he seized one in each hand. “The best thing on the subject was said about 150 years ago by Volstaire.” he said, and then as he stopped for breath, applause and chuckles of appreciation broke out. The Volstaire was lost. Eventually Fitzgerald sat down in one of the two chairs.

Published in unlocated newspaper (1922).