The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-03-03
MISCELLANY.
NATIVE HUMORISTS.

Edgar Allan Poe would have been our first
if he had cultivated Momus more and Bacchus
less. Instances are frequent where hard
drinkers have been good story -telers, but they
are rare where the drinker could put his hu-
NOR on paper. The late George d. Prentice
was one of the rare exceptions. In his comfy
and, being otherwise a brilliant conversation
alist, he was entertaining and fascinating
Reducing his anecdote or repartee to print
improved it, for he had the rare faculty of
stripping each sentence of its useless VERDI
age. In his day Prentice was unquestionably
the leading wit of the nation. But he was
never known to essay the broad field Of hui
NOR which immortalized Artemus Ward and
which has made the names Of Proctor Knott
and Mark Twain as household words.
1t was Artemus Ward who inaugurated the
style of phonetics, or bad spelling-a miser-
able style, which has had thousand miser-
able imitators and out of the thousand per-
haps Nasty and Josh Billings are the only
two who have met with anything like success.
In his lectures, the Enormous and the
Babes in the Woods" Ward demonstrated
that his bad spelling was weakness rather
than strength, for, clothed in good language
and delivered in his dry humor, his dulest
witticisms were heartily applauded.
The Danbury Neaes man evidently inherit
ed his humor, and, after drawing on the stool,
| g.. e. +oI
written nothing since he went to Europe that
would pass the criticism of Kansas rural ed
itor. The paragraphs of broad humor lately
floating around credited to the Danbury
| Neaos are from the prolific brain of Max AID.
eler. Bailey tries to be an imitator Of Mark
Artemus Wards death no man has come SC
near filing his place as an American humor
list as Max Adeler.
1t has always been mystery to literar,
men how Mark Twain suddenly came into
prominence TO those who know him person
ally, however, there was little OF mystery. =
He became a. humorsts through association.
and the possession of Initiative faculties ant
retentive memory. His earlier association
were with Western boatmen, who prides
themselves on their grist of story telling mor
than they did on their knowledge of "bar
and snagr and Bends Later in life Clemen
Iitinerated among the mining camps of TIN
Sacramento and the Serras, where anothe
hardy class of men found most of their leis
ure employed in convivial pursuits seasone,
8 with ancient "yarns." The story that mad.
Mark Twai is reputation was that of jim
Smiley and His Jumping Frog" which he 10
Gated at Calaveras county Yet this write
remembers hearing Capt John Malin, of TIN
Lacede House, st. Louis, tell that story be
fore Mark Twain was out Of his swaddlini
clothes. Following up the palpable hit, Mari
Twain industriously taxed his memory ant
consequently, has reproduced many goot
things. But "blood will tell,' and the abom
Unable mess of stuff which he lately served vi
in the sGilded Age" relegatcs him back t,
obscurity.
Another good fellow is George w. Peck, 0
the La Crosse Sun. His humor is broad AMI
deep. During the last six months The Su'
has been brim full Of the happiest hits-most
" of a local nature. A week or two ago h
had a column on the shoes he wore to Gen
Atwood's anniversary wedding party. 1t i
now going the rounds of the State press
Peck, like most humerists, is lazy and onl
writes when the cry Of the devil boy spur
him up. If he would work the "lead = h
would ind it inexhaustible as well as profit
ah,a Rut he il too much like Harris autho
Of sSut Lovengood's Stories"
The Burlington Ha0ksye has ga fellow 0
infinite zest on its columns. His name
r. J. Burdette. During the last three year
Bob has originated some Of the best local an
b domestic stories Of the day. His latest, Nh
Middlerib's Dog, " is fully equal to anythin
Bailey ever wrote in his most brilliant mr.