Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-07-19
ARTEMUS WARD IN 1858.

O0 w WAEGD LIN 1905.
In the Spring of 1868. before Arte-
mus Ward was ever heard of, says A.
Miner Griswold, being thrown out Of
newspaper work on account of the sus-
pension of Buffalo daily on which [
had been employed, the editor said to
me: "Why not go up to Cleveland and
try The Plain Dealer? A green young
man by the name of Brown is local
there, but be isn't of any account, and
Mr.. Gray would readily exchange him
for capable person like yourself
will give you letter to Mr.. Gray" L
didn't quite like the idea of crowding
man out, but as l was informed that
the incompetent Brown would be COM
PEELED to leave soon anyhow, conclu-
ded that might as we'll apply for the
inevitable vacancy as any one else. So
1 took the letter and started. | remem-
Der feeling sorry for Brown as l neared
The Plain Dealer Office, and l was half
disposed to turn back when | reached
the door, but walked in and inquired
for the proprietor. A tall slim young
man stepped forward, whose prominent
feature was an intensely aquline nose,
and informed me in low and plaintive
voice that Mr.. Gray was confined to his
house on account of an accident, but
that he was prepared to act in his alb
sence. "My name,' he remarked SIM
ply, sis Brown"
The letter was never presented.
tore it up the first opportunity, and
neither Mr.. Gray nor the man by the
name of Brown ever knew that it had
an existence. l was much pleased with
my new acquaintance. He was simply
Charley Brown" then, without attach
ed to his surname. If he had ever writ
ten over the nom de plume of Artemus
Ward before that period l was not
aware of it. He was not known by that
appellation at any rate. He was
mild-mannered, sunny-tempered young
fellow of twenty-five or twenty-three, who
delighted in witty anecdotes, and told
droll stories himself in an inimitable
way. His work on The Plain Dealer
consisted in getting up column or two
of local items, each day, and it was only
occasionly that the fun there was in
him cropped out in paragraph.
The unaffected cordiality with which
Mr.. Brown received me when he learned
| was brother scribe won me. The
first night of our acquaintance he took
me to a school exhibition on Cleveland
Heights -Humiston' it was called
and his whispered comments upon the
performance amused me greatly. They
gave portion of the play of "Rolla."
"How now, Gomez, what bringest thou?"
Gomez-"On yonder mountain we sur
prised an old Peruvian" Brown, in a
whisper-''They knew him by his bark,
a small bundle of which you perceive
he carries on his shoulder There
: have been many Peruvian bark jokes
l since, but that was then fresh to me
; too fresh perhaps.
1t did not occur to me, as we drove
: back in the buggy that my friend was
in the least bit eccentric. After riding
> along in silence for time, he suddenly
declared that he liked me. and asked
me if / had any objections to one en-
brace. Then he attempted to throw
his arms around me, but owing to the
darkness, suppose, he embraced new
plug hat that 1 wore, and when he let
it 90 it was crushed into shapeless
mass. He apoligized profusely when
he discovered what he had done. ap-
peared to give way to momentary
burst of tears, and then said that Shake
: speare wouldn't have succeeded as local
= editor because he hadn't the necessary
fancy and Imagination! His humorous
account of the school exhibition in the
/, next days paper confirmed me in the
% impression that the young man by the
Q name of Brown possessed rare streak
o of original humor The following Au-
8 tumn he published the first Artemus
% Ward letter that was extensively copied,
Q an account of the Atlantic cable celebra-
g tion in Baldwinsville, followed soon
70 after by the Free Lovers of Berlin
n Heights, and from that time his prog
70 ress was rapid and brilliant, and within
y less than two years he took his place at
3 the head of American humorists.
~ ~ ton Courier.
10 Conversation between an inquiring
70 stranger and steamboat pilot: ''That
= is the Black Mountain 2" "Yes, sir ;
10 highest mountain about Lake George.
70 "Any story or legend connected with
20 that mountain 2" "Lots of 'em. Two
Il i lovers went up that mountain once and
20 never came back again. "Indeed