The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-02-20
AMERICAN HuMoRIsTs.
THEIR rRECARIoUs FAME-SOME NOTABLE
INSTANCES.

We admire having a new name to adj
mire and laud, aud after little while we
enjoy equally its depreciation and denun.
citation. We all seem willing to lift
person to Il certain height, and we relish
seeing him there as long as we can de-
lude ourselves with the notion that we
aided to put Linn in the position. Hear
ing others cxtol him, we grow enyious
and cynical; fall to piercing him with ar
rows of satire, and are delighted when he
is down, never to rise again.
A slight retrospect will prove the truth
of the statement. We can easily recall
the whole popularity Doesticks (Morti.
mer thompson gained as humorist.
His Damphool was in eyerybody's mouth
and many persons character. His sketch
es were laughed at immoderately. lie
came from Detroit, Michigan, TO New
York and the Tribune, and scintillated
for a year or two. Then he was pro-
nounced wearisome, and ere long he sank
out Of sight. He wrote for the weekly
story papers, but he lost his attraction,
and recently went to Minneapolis, Min
nesota, TO assist in editing daily.
Artemus Ward followed. From a hum
bic local reporter Oh a Cleveland (O)
journal he rose to more than national re-
putation. His phrases were quoted by
the people, and his lectures drew crowds.
He suffered an eclipse. lie went to Eng
land because, as it was said, his jokes
were all known here. He died, and the
encomiums that had been suspended were
revived over his grave.
Nasty (Locke) rose TO fame immedi-
ately after the war; had his elimination
and decline. You seldom see his badly
spelled screeds now, though he lectures
with pecuniary proft edits the I0icdo
Blddc aud is worth S25O000.
Orpheus G. Kerr (Robert II. NewalD
was highly commended for his clever sa-
tires Oh the Army OF the Potomac in a
New York weekly, but became invisible
with the return Of peace. lie is attached
at present to the staff Of the H'orid, aud
does the Social Studies in the Sunday
| issue.
/ Mark Twain (Samuel l.. Clomens) was
brought TO the surface by his Jumping
Frog, aud universally advertised by his
extremely ludicrous Iuuoc0nts Abroad.
As the funny man on tie GaloIy he was
pronounced such a failure that he retired
from his department in confusion aud
/ panic. Ills Ioughiug II is wholly inferi-
OF to bis other book, though it has sold
largely. The public are weayriug Of bin
little, and he must arouse himself If he
cares for his laurels.
Bret IIarte conquered attention by his
extraordinary taids in the OreyiaRd and
grew celebrated by bis trilc, The Heath
en- Chince Cities and publications bid
for him, and Boston and the 1tlaHtic ear.
ried him Off Since then he has been
stiaed almost. We have had 30 really
clever thing from him, according to the
critics, who consider bis reign at an end
John Hay came home from Europe
wrote Little Breeches aud Jim Budsoe
and was made tho theme Of countless
paragraphs His admirable book ,CastiIi-
an Days, gave him reputation among tht
cultivated, bat they are the few. lie i
doing fine strong work ou the Trttaae
bot be IS slipping out Of the pnbJie cye.
Even joaquin Miller the poet Of th'
-icrras, has almost had ii- day lIii
songs are pronounced mpuolouous. and
bis genius a manufactured article.
Wc await, At this moment, anolbel
coming man somebody go pat up and
pull down. he viii be- along anon
The question Is, DO our bumeIisis aud
literary light. decline, OF do we declare
them. exhausted because ihey are such
OF because we are merely Geklef Eea
T1rk Cog. 81. Load Giobe
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