Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-11-21
ARENAS Ward.

This famous humorist, OF "wax-hgger,"
"snaik" and theological amimile" memory.
is about to visit this coast for the double
object of writing n book descriptive of
the social phases of the country, and that of
delivering his renowned lectures for the graf
iicaton of his numerous westward admirers.
This announcement has been received with
the greatest enthusiasm by the California
press, and he WILL no doubt, receive well
come commensurate with his envable reputa-
ton, as one Of the greatest hu,norists of the
age. We presume there are but few of our
readers but who have not read some portion Of
the many erratc illusions emanating from his
pen within the past few years. and who will
not be interested in the following sketch
which we copy from the Golden Era, of a
late date:
Were we to endeavor to ascertain who Ar
tcmus Ward is from an analysis of his writ
ings-wcre We to do as gcologist does with
the bones of some extinct animals. and pale
ontOlogi-e the perfect being from the remains
of him which we cut out of the various news.
paporial strata, and dig up from the different
brain deposits of the day, we should be like
" to come to the following conclusion THAT
! Artemas is an old, western Snowman, who
travels with a show of wild animals and
wax-fggers;" that his animals consist of
three moral Bares," little cuss of Kan
CARGO" and some "sagashus snaiks.'' His
wax-fggers' according to his own enumer-
alton being those of &C. Washington, Cen
eral Taylor, Capt. Kidd and several miscel-
lanyus moral wax statoots of celebrated pi-
ruts and murderers." We should also make
out that Mr.. Ward lives in the hypothetical
city of Baldinsvillc, Injianny," that he was
once the editor of the Baldinsville Buglc,
that he is married to fair being of the name
of Betsy Jane, formerly Miss Pcascly; that
he is the father Of "two eppisodes, which is
twins, SADIE twins being of the male purswa-
shun and both boys" and that his show bav-
ing been confscated by al. Davis of the
Sonny Sowtl," he has come to grief, having
nothing to wear but one old coat for his
mard-robe. and no ostensible means of gain
ing livelihood than be reciting his tribula-
tons to patient listeners at the small charge
of fifty cents per head. This is what Arte-
mas Ward would appear to be, judged from
his writings.
Now, for who he really Isl
Charles +. Observation-Disclosures ARENAS
Ward" is young man of twenty-seven years
of age, who was born in the small town Of
Waterford, not far from Portland. Maine, in
the year 1886. To allay feminine anxiety it
may be as well to state at once that he is un-
married, and that the "two eppisodes" Of his
family have no cradle to sleep in other than
his own Imagination. He is chara :teristical-
repution and position to his own exertions !;
for in early youth his facilities for advance
ment were by no means great, and his educa-
ton became matter which he himself had
to attend to- While mere boy he entered a
printing office. and soon qualified himself for
being considered a frst-rate compositor. Hav-
ing fully graduated in composing room, and
being naturally of nomadic disposition he
started on typc-satting trip through New
England. "The child is father to the maj"
and the subsequent travelling excursions of
the humnrist of our age were antr.typed in
the excursions of the young type.settcr.
Having perpgrinated New England, he came
to halt in Boston; settled down there and
worked at his trade. Stimulated by tho lit
erary air in which he lived, moved and had
his being, he threw himself into the fowery
paths of literature. Correggio gazed on the
works Of Raphael seized a pencil and ex-
claimed Ed 10 anche son pittore!" The in
clohate Artemas infected by tho atmosphere
Of Harvard, discovered that he had caught
the disease, and just as much as Correggio
felt himself to be an artist, SO Browne also
| CT ko
and comic essays were the result and, al
though that which he then did, participated
in all the shortcomings incidental to the no.
vitiate of the pen, his writings travelled far
and obtained praise in many distant lands.
Boston became too small a place for ono
whose ambition embraced every square inch
Of soil famed by the waving Of the /" starry
banner" The West and the South offered
new fields Of enterprise and thitherward Mr..
Browne wendell his way. On the shores of
Lake Erie and OH the banks of the Ohio and
the Mississippi he picked mp that knowledge
Of Western life and acquired that acute in.
sight into the comic side of Western charac.
ter which have stood forth so conspicuously
in his humorous sketches, causing him to be
recognized as prominently the interpreter
Of Western humor and the impersonator Of
tho Menus Of the prairies as we'll as the
great laughter-mover Of the Lakes. Perhaps
no one Of our popular humorists ever had so
deep an insight into the funny side of our
national character The perceptive faculties
Of ARENAS Ward resemble the boring irons
Of the artesian well-digger. Bore where be
may tho one is sure to find water; and, look
where he may. the other is assuredly bound
to find fun. The only difference being that
there is bore in the one case and not in
the other.