Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-06-13
LETTER BY ARTEMUS WARD,

the following letter by Artemus Ward.
He says:
was sitting in the bar quietly smokin'
a frugal pipe, when two middle aged and
stern looking females and young and
pretty female suddenly entered the room.
They we're accompanied by two umbrel-
lers and a negro gentleman. do you
feel for the down trodden ?" said one Of
the females, thin.faced and sharp
voiced person in green spectacles. DO
| feel for it " answered the Ian lord, in
puzzled voice" Do / feel for it ?"
"Yes; for the oppressed, the benited .
"Insomuch as to whieh2" said the Ian
lord. "You see this mani" said the
female, pintin' her umbreller at the ne
gro gentleman. "Yes, marin, see him. "
Yes said the female, raisin her voice
to an exceeding high pitch, you see
him, aud he's your brother |! " No, I'm
darned if he is, said the landlord, hastily
retreatin' to his beer casks. "And
yours shouted the excited female, ad-
dressin' me. He is also your brother. "
mo, think not, marm,' pleasantly
replied. "The nearest we come to that
color in our fam ly was in the case OF my
brother John. He had the janders seve-
raj years, but they finally left him. |
am happy to state that at the present
time he hasn't solitary lander. Look
at this man" screamed the female |
looked at him. He was an able-bodied
man, well dressed, comfortable looking
negro. He looked as though he might
hesye three or four good meals day
into him without a murmur Look at
that .trodden man cried the fe-
male. "Who trod on him inquired,
"Villins despots F." "Well," said the
Ian lord, "why don't you go to the willins
about it7 Why do you come here tellin'
US niggers is our brothers, and brandish-
in your umbrellers round like lot of
lunatics2 You're wuss than the sperit-
rappers." Have you" said middle
aged female No. 2, who was quieter
sort of person, "have you no sentiment
no poetry in your soul-no love for the
beautiful? Dost never 90 into the green
fields to Gull the beautiful flowers " II
not only never dost, said the Ian lord,
in an angry voice, ''but I'll bet you five
mounds you cant bring man as dares
saw | burst" THE little birds, con-
tinued the female, ''dost not love to gaze
onto them ?" II would | were a bird,
that | might fly to thou" | humorously
sung, casting q sweet glance at the pretty
Young woman. Don't you look in that
way at my dawter,' said female No. |,
in a violent voice; you are old enough
70 he her father" "'Twas an innocent
look, dear madam" softly said. "You
beheld in me an emblem Of innocence
and purity. In fack, start for Rome
by the first train to-morrer, to sit as a
model 10 the celebrated artist who is
about TO seulp o statue to be called
Sweet Innocence. Do you s'pose
sculptor would send for me for that pur-
pose onless he know d ! was overhowiu
with innocency2 Don't make an error
about me. ut is my opinyn, said the
leadin' female, that you are a scoff0r
and wretch Your mind is in wus-
ser beclouded state than the poor ne
groes we are seeking to aid. You are
groper in the dark celler Of sin. 0 sin
ful man
Come, o come and drink.
No; you will not come and drink
" Yes he will, said the landlord, " if
You'll treat Jest try him. - As for
you." said the enraged female to the
Ian lord. "you are degraded bein, too
low aud vulgar TO talk to. This is
the sparklin fount for me, dear sister "
cried the Ian lord, drawing and drinking
mug of beer. Having uttered which
COAX, be gave low rumblin lsrf, and re-.
iaxed into silence. % Ny colored fren',
| said to the negro kindly, what is it
all about p He said they was tryin to
raise money to send missionaries TO the
Southern States in America to preach 10
the vast number Of negroes recently
made free there. BE said they we're
without the gospel. They were without
tracks ! said, Ny fren', this is seris
matter. l admire you for tryin to help
the race TO which you belong, and far be
it from me TO say anything agin carryln
the gospel among the blacks Of the South.
Let the gospel 70 20 them by ell means.
But / happen 10 individually know that
there are some thousands Of liberated
blacks in the South who are starvin. /
-. Isne anbody for this, but il is a
uo- .o,r "a sot a~'ns are really too Ill to
wo1k some can't get work - 40, ana
others are too foolish TO see any necessity
for workin. was down there last WIN
ter and l observed that this class bad
plentv OF preachin for their souls but
skarce any viiiles for their stummux.
Nov. fit Is proposed to send hour and
bacon along With the gospel, the ides -
really excellent one. IL, on the other
7" |a.HHNHH .