Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-03-18
Artemus Wards Last Joke.

Admiral De Rohan, brother OF the
late Admiral Dahlgren, who has dis
tinguished career in the service of many
nations, told s'Gath this curious story
the other night
81 was at Radford's hotel, South
amptOn, England, one night in 1866,
when the landlady to me and sald:
Admiral, there is an American up
stairs very sick, and I am afraid he il go-
ing to die. Can't you go and see himY
Madam, replied, here is ray supper
all hot, and friend to take it with me /;
I can't see all the Americans who want
to come to Southampton to die. Who
is hep tOh, SIR she said, he is
writer, Mr.. Brown he is Hartemus
Ward, the comic writer
81 had never known Ward, but /
went upstairs, and | found DR.. Kings
ton, Wards business agent. Sitting in
the room by a window, and reading O
book absently, as if he had no idea Of
an impending death, was a young man
about sixteen years old. That person,
said Kingston to me-, SIS great
favorite of Charley Brown, and I am
sure he means to leave bis money TO
him. Steps ought TO be taken 70 secure
the young man in his rights BEFORE poor
Artemus dies, for he IS fast going.
"I stepped up to the bedside. " said
Admiral De Rohan, sand there saw
the long, thin, aquiline nose and the
remarkable clear blue eyes OF Artemus
| Ward for the first time. His face was
thin and bleached, and he was q mere
string Of bones from head TO foot. I
leaned over him, and reached my hand
under the cover and took his hand. Said
[: Brown, am one Of your country
men, and have come up to seen If 1 can
do anything for you He made move
ment with his lips as If to speak, but
could not articulate yet ths+ BRIJ. =
blue eyes, without any fea1 4---T~
lowed me around inteiligently. 4 saTf
that he had but few hours to live.
What doctor have you here y I asked.
Kingston told me, and I said THAT
is not the best doctor in Southampton;
viii send my doctor down, and see If
anything can be done. The doctor
came, but shook his head IN moment.
He is past help, said the doctor the
best [ can do for him is 30 take care Of
his brain, which is still alive, and viii
give him some sedative, that his c'osing
moments may be as easy as possible.
That sedatiYe was to be administ5rel3~a
certain intervals, and Dr. Kingston. be
ing very tired, asked me II would sit
up with Artemus Ward and give him his
dose every two hours or so. I had given
him one or two doses, and when I came
to the third said Now. Brown, here
is your medicine, which the doctor has
left you. It is time to take it ike q
man. There was q little catch in has
crescent shaped nose, and without sny
tremor or fear, his pair of blue eyes
rolled mp to my face, and then ne made
the words with his lips, just au6ibly
Cant you take il for me?' I suppose
that was the last joke he ever made, and
traces Of a smile accompanied it.
He died some time a5terward. /
telegraphed to Charles FfanGlg A1is. d.
American minister, Portland place,
don Artemus Ward, the 5istingni
American humerist. is dying st Rs9fc
hotel. Southampton. England He
a ward, aged sixteen years, who IS TOT
ceive his property. Cannot yon sell
some one down to receive his 5estamen.
g WMLIAM De RoHAN