Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-26
ne .waIEIne in the. back door and biting the

one walking in the back door and biting the
passengers2"
he once said ITO be attached to a thing
makes it precious TO us, but he knew a
horse that had been attached for weeks and
weeks to a drag, and he knew from his own
personal knowledge that the horse was down
on that dray." -
In Cleveland he became very spirited
reporter. One day he sat down in an Idle
moment and wrote
THE FIRST aARTENiUs WARD" LETTER.
This spread like wild fire, and made the
'wax-works'' Snowman famous, and sent
the young writer almost to the top OF the
ladder of fame.
Then he cot to New York and took
charge of seVanity Fair" After that, want
ing money, he determined on a lecture, and
wrote that string of jokes called sBabes in
the Wood" He delivered it first in Nor
witch, and eventually brought it to New
York. The Bohemians helped him nobly,
but snow storm spoiled the. speculation.
A California manager asked. him what
''would he take for forty nights" He sent
back word, "Brandy apd water"
Well, he went to California, and all
through Utah and back to New York, and
made lots of money! but now a journey
man gas filter on the new courthouse in
New York makes more In day than he
did il a week. don't charge anything ex-
ira for little thing like that.
Then ArtemHs went over to England with
his show, and his reception was an ovation.
BE took Egyptian Hall, and lectured six
weeks in Succession. BE wore astonishing
clothes and sported tiger and page, and
all that Sort Of thing.
His pictures in his show were monstrous-
ly bad on purpose. He would point at
some grotesque thing and say ''that's horse.
I b1lnw,it is. My artist told me so. / was
a long while finding that out, but at last my
artist said to nae, MS useless to deceive you
any longer-that's horse i $50
He was very tefider-footed in the matter
ofcriticism. When taken to task he would
say, "Why sltir me because can't make
speech like Edward Everett Why not
slur him a little9 He can't make speech
like me-" His great forte was in passing
from the serious to the ridiculous so sud
denly. .,,~--.-.F.t' -----rfa
He had many excellent traits. His
English eulogist, Mr.. Robertson, says,
''when he drew bis last breath there passed
away .--
A TRUE GENTLEMAN" 81.
His humor was coarse, but he was a genu-
inc humorist, without rival in his particu-
lar line. He had wonderful liking for odd
characters. He introduced me once to
man, we will call Hawkins, whom he called
his unconscious humorist." $500.
His strong fort was quotations. One
night he came rushing into my room and
said there was something horrible next
door, man being burned or something
of that nature. And xue it was. An
old negro woman had fallen on the stove
and burned herself badly. said to him,
''Don't mention this at breakfast. Our
landlady is of a melancholy turn of mind,
you know, and would like chance like this"
But the landlady launched out and describ-
ed the horrible burning, said it was no mere
frizzle, but regular roast, and asked him
for an epitaph to put on her tomb. Haw-
lzins answered, "H1eu done, good and faith
full servant"
The health of Artemus was never very
good, but it got worse in the
A FoGs OF LONDON. Pa.
His physician towards the last was always
behind the curtain, while Artemus was
Joking on the stage. There was something
pathetic in outstanding between Momus
and Death, and scattering gibes by the open
grave.
But be held up until one night the au-
dience came to see him, and found the hall
door closed. 1t was never opened again, for
poor Ward died shortly after at Southamp-
ton. His last wish was to see friend
from home, to hold him by the hand.
There is something very sad in this death.
The young man just at the zenith of his
fame, an exile from home, searching with
his last glance the faces of those around
him, hoping to detect familiar counte-
nance.