Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-03-21
Artemus Wards Last Joke.

Admiral De Rohan, q brother OF the
late Admiral Dahlgren, who has dis
tinguished career in the service of many
nations, told "Gath =" this curious story
the other night
81 was at Radford's hotel, South
ampton, England, one night in 1866.
when the landlady came TO me and said.
Admiral, there is an American up
stairs very sick, and am afraid he is 60
ing to die. CANT you go and see him 2
Madam, replied, here is my 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 'Oh, sir, she said, he is a
writer, Mr.. Brown he is Hartemus
Ward, the comic writer.
81 had never known Ward, but I
went upstairs, and found Dr. Kings
ton. Wards business agent. Sitting in
the room by a window, and reading
book absently, as if he had no idea of
an impending death, was young man
about sixteen years old. THAT person.
said Kingston to me, Is great
favorite of Charley Brown, and l am
sure he means to leave his money to
him. Steps ought to be taken to secure
the young man in his rights before poor
Artemus dies, for he is fast going
9" I stepped up to the bedside, said
Admiral De Rohan, "and 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 mere
string of bones from head to foot. I
leaned over him, and reached my hand
under the cover and took his hand. Said
l: Brown, l am one of your country
men, and have come up to seen if J. can
do anything for you He made move
ment with his lips as if to speak, but
could not articulate yet that pair of
blue eyes, without any fear in them, fol-
lowed me around intelligently. saw
that he had but few hours to live.
what doctor have you hereP asked.
Kingston told me, and l said THAT
is not the best doctor in Southampton
will 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 I can do for him ia to take care of
his brain, which is still alive, and l will
give him some sedative, that his c'osing
moments may be as easy as possible.
That sedative was to be administered at
certain intervals, and Dr.. Kingston, be-
ing very tired, asked me if l would sit
up with Artemus Ward and give him his
dose every two hours or so. l had given
him one or two doses, and when ! came
to the third said: Now, Brown, here
is your medicine, which the doctor has
left you. It is time to take it like a
man. There was little catch in his
crescent. shaped nose, and without any
tremor or fear, his pair of blue eyes
rolled up to my face, and then he made
the words with his lips, just audibly :
'Can't you take it for me?' suppose
that was the last joke he ever made, and
traces of smile accompanied it.
He died some time afterward. l
telegraphed to Charles Francis Adams,
American minister, Portland place, Lon
don 'Artemus Ward, the distinguished
American humorst, is dy ing at Radford's
hotel, Southampton. England. He has
ward, aged sixteen years, who is to re-
ceive his property. Cannot you send
some one down to receive his testament.
"WnLIAM De RoHAN."