Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-11-27
Uncertainties Of Authorship.

49, -
A New York correspondent Of the
st. Louis Globe, In speaking OF the rise
and fall Of literary celebrities in pub
lie favor, says:
We can easily recall the wide popu-
larity Doesticks (Mortimer Thompson)
gained as a humorist. His Damphool
was In everybody's mouth, and In
many persons characters. His sketches
were copied all over the land. and
laughed at immoderately. He came
from Detroit, Michigan. to New York,
and In the Tribune sclntillated for a
year or two. Then he was pronounced
wearisome, and ere long lie sank out
Of sight. He wrote for the weekly
story papers. but he had lost his at
traction, and recently went to Mime
apolis, Minnesota, to assist In editing
q daily.
Artemus Ward followed. From an
humble local reporter on n Cleveland
(Ohio) journal, he rose to more than a
national reputation. His phrases were
quoted by tho people, and his lectures
drew crowds. He suffered an eclipse.
He went to England, because. as 1t
was sald, his jokes were all known
here. He died, and the encomlums
that had been suspended were revived
over his grave.
Nasty iLocke) rose to fame immedi-
ately after the war. had his culmina-
ton and decline. You seldom see his
badly spelled screeds now, though he
lectures with pecuniary profit, edits
| the Toledo Blade, and Is worth $2o0,-
000. 49,,
Orpheus G. Kerr (Robert II. Eewall)
was highly commended for his clever
satires on the Army Of the Potomac In
a New York weekly, but became In
visible with the return Of peace. He
Is attached at present to the World,
and does the Social Studies In the sun
day issue. =,
Mark Twain Samuel L. Clemcns)
was brought to the surface by his
jumping Frog" and universally nd
vertised BY his extremely ludicrous
"Innocents Abroad" As the funny
man on the Galaxy lie was pronounced
such a failure that he retired from his
department in confusion and panic.
His "Roughing 1t Is wholly Inferior
to his other book. though 1t has sold
largely. The public are weary OF him
q little, aud he must arouse himself II
he cares for his laurels.
Bret Harte attracted attention by
his extraordinary tales In the Overland,
and grew celebrated by his trlfle.
The Heather Chinee." Cities and
publications bid for him, and Boston
and the Atlantic carried him of. Since
then he has been stifled almost. We
have had no really clever thing from
him, according to the critics, who con-
slider his reign at an end.
John Hay came home from Europe,
wrote Little Breeches" and Jim
Bludsoe," and was made the theme OF
countless paragraphs. His admirable
book, "Castilian Days" gave him re-
putation among the cultivated, but
they are the few. lie Is doing fine
and strong work on the Tribune, but
no is slipping out Of the public eye.
Even Joaquin Miller, the Poet Of
the Sierra. has almost had bis day.
His songs are pronounced monotonous,
and his genius a manufactured article.
We await, at this moment, another
coming man-somebody to put up and
pull down. lie will be along anon.
The question Is: Do our humorists
and literary lights decline, or do we
get tired OF saying kind things Of them ?
Do we declare them exhausted be-
cause they are stch, or because We arc
merely fckle? ..