Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-10-17
American IIumOrists Their Precari-
Gus Fame-SOme Notable Instances.


We enjoy having a new name to admire
and laud, and after little while we en-
joy equally its depreciation aud denuuc-
alton. We all seem willing to lita per-
son to certain height, aud we relish
seeing him there as long as we can delude
ours, Ives with the notion that we aided to
put him in the position. Hearing others
extol him, we grow envious and cynical
fall to piercing him with arrows of satiie e
and are delighte when he is down, nev r
to ise again.
A slight retrospect will prove the tru h
of the statement. We cn easily recall
the wide popularity Doesticks (Morthncr
Taompson) gained as humo'ist. His
Damphool was in everybody's mouth,
and in any persons character. His
sketches were laughed at Immediately.
He came from Detroit, Michigan, to NV
York and the Tribune and sc mt lll'ed for
year or two. Then he was pronounced
wearisOme, and ere long he sank out of
sight. He wrote for the weekly story
papers, but he lost his attraction and re-
Gently went to Minneapolis, Minnesota,
to assist in editing a da ly.
Artemus Ward followed From hum
BILE local reporter on n Cleveland 20 }
journal h rose to more than national
reputation. His phrases were quoted by
the people. and his lectures drew crowds.
He suffered an eclipse. He went to Eng
land because it was sail, his jokes were
all known here. He di, d, and the enco
miums that had been suspended were re-
vivcd over his grave.
Nasty (Locke) rose to fame immedi-
ttly after the war, had his elimination
and decline. You seldom see his ba1ly
spelled screeds now; though he lectures
with pecuniary profit; edits the Toledo
Blpds aud is worth $3.50 600.
Orpheus G. Kerr Or bert III. Newell)
was highly commended for his cleaver sat
Tres on the Army of the Potomic in New
York Weekly, but became invisible with
the return Of peace. He ia attached a,
present to the staff ofthe World, and does
the rs Jcial Studies" in the Sunday issue
, Mark Twain Is lmuel J.. Clemens) va:
brought to the su face by his jumping
! Frog" and universally advoriised by hi,
leXtrpm elU ludinrniIs i'In"ocenus ADroau.
As the funny man on the Gdldry he wa
{ pronounced such failure that he retired
\ from his department in confusion and
e panic. His "Roughing lt'' is wholly in
fsrior TO his other book, though it ha
sold largely. The puSlicare wearying o
e him and he must arause him self if he care
:. for his laurels.
Bret Hart conquered attention by hi
= extraordinary tales in the Orerldnd anC
: grew C lebrated by his triie, ''The Heath
a en- Chinee." Cities and publications biz
for him, and B Iston and the Atlantic car
n ried him off. Since then he has been sti
i fled almost. Wehave had no really clevt
;. thing from him, according to the critics
+ who consider his reign at an end.
4 John Hay came home from Europe
!. wrote Little Brooches" and 'Jim Blud
q soe,' and was made the theme of count
q less paragraphs. His admirable book
n 'Castilan Days." gave him reputation
! among the cultivated, but they are tn
n f,w. He is doing fine strong work on tn
n Tribune, but he is slipping out of the put
Y lie eye.
2 Even Joaquin NJ Her, the poet of tn
i. Sierras, has almost had his day. II.
songs are pronounced monotonous, an
his genius manufactured article.
We await, at this moment, another CON
Y ing mtn-somebody to put up and pl
e down. He will be along anon. Th
Il Question Is: Do our humorists and liter;
ry lights decline. or do we declare theI
exhau sted because thew arc such, or bt
cause we are firkl,?-Nsu York Correspon,
!. ent 81. Louis Globe.