April 5, 1834

Prentice Mulford (April 5, 1834 to May 27, 1891) was a writer in 19th century America. His career seems to follow that of others in this era--- he appeared to drift, wanted to try various things, content to be poor -- a lot like Whitman, or Thoreau. Like them he wrote, and, in the 19th century version of the internet, Prentice Mulford traveled on the lecture circuit.

A partial list of his publications----

Self-control (multiple authors) 1915
Your forces, and how to use them 1902
Prentice Mulford's story : life by land and sea  1889
The swamp angel,  1888
The religion of the drama 1888

Some of his titles  reflect his formative role in the New Thought movement, that intellectual current of which Mary Baker Eddy is another exemplar.

A 1913 edition of his memoirs, Prentice Mulford's story : or, Life by land and sea, a personal narrative, contains essays by A. E. Waite.

His memoirs  contains a lovely cat story:

'None can realise until they enter the lecture field what trivial occurrences may transpire to upset the unfortunate on the platform and divert and distract the attention of an audience. On one occasion a cat got into a church where I was speaking, and trotted up and down a course she had laid out for herself before the pulpit. She did this with an erect tail, and at
times made short remarks. It is singular that a cat acting in this manner is more effective in interesting and amusing an “intelligent audience ” than any speaker. Under such conditions Cicero himself would have to knock under to the cat. He might go on talking, but the cat would capture the house. And then the awful sensation of being obliged to keep on as though nothing had disturbed you; to pretend you don’t see such a cat; that you are not thinking
of it; and knowing all the while that your audience are getting their money's worth out of the cat and not out of you! '
More information is available at an article on Mulford by a friend of his.