New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-11
1RTENUS WARD IN 1858.
From The Boston Courier.

Boston Courier.
In the Spring of 1853, before Artemus Ward was
ever heard Of, says A. Miner Grlswold being
thrown out of newspaper work on account or the
suspension of Buffalo daily Oh which had been
employed the editor said TO me- "Why not go up
to Cleveland and try The Plain Deatrf green
young man by the name OF Brown IS local tnerei
readily exchange him for a capable person IKE
yourself. / will give you letter to Mr. Gray
didn't quite like the idea OF crowdng man OUT
but rs | was informed that the incompetent Brown
would be compelled to leave soon anyhow, con-
cluded that | might as well apply Tor the newt
able vacancy as any one else 90 TOOK tle IelIer
as ! neared The Plain Dedier Office, and was nan
disposed to turn back when | reached the door, but
walked in ana inquired for the proprietor 1s
feature was an intensely aqulline nose, ana IN
formed me in low aud plaintiye voice that Mr.
Gray was confined to his house on account OF an
accident, but that lie was prepared to act IN his
absence: "My NAME" he remarked Simply, us
Brown"
first opportunity, and neither Mr. Gray nor the
man by the name of Brown ever knew That IL had
an existence. was much pleased with my new
acquaintance. He simply Charley Brown
then, without attached to his surname III he had
ever written over the nom de plume of Artemus ward
before that period | not aware of 1t. lie
was not known by that appellation at any rate.
He mild-mannered sunny tempered Young
fellow Of twenty-five or twentythrce, WIZ de-
lighted in witty anecdotes, and told droll stories
himself in an inimitable way. His work on The
Plain Dealer consisted III getting up column or
two of local items, each day, and II was only oc-
casOnally that the fun there was in him cropped
out in "a paragraph.
The unaffected cordiality with which Dir. Brown
received me when lac learned was "a brother scribe
won me. The first night of our acquaintance he
took me to school exhibition on Cleveland Heights
-Ilumlstons 1t 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 r Gomez
-" On yonder mountain we surprised an old
Peruvian" Brown. In 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 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 new friend was the least bit eccen-
trio. After riding along in silence for time, he
suddenly declared that he liked me, and asked me
If had any objections to one embrace. Then he
attempted to throw his arms around me, but ow ing
to the darkness. suppose, he embraced a new plug
hat that | wore, and when he let 1t go 1t was
crushed into shapeleSs mass. He apologized pro-
fusely when he discovered what he had done, ap-
pcared to give way to a mOmentary burst OF tears,
and then said that Shakespeare wouldn't have
succeeded as n local editor, because he hadn't the
necessary fancy and imagination His humorous
paper confirmed me in the impression that the
young man by the name of Brown possessed a rare
streak of original humOr The following Autumn
he published the first Artemus Ward letter that was
extensively copied, account OF the Atlantic cable
celebration in Baldwlnsville, followed soon after
by the Free Lovers of Berlin Heights and from
that time his progress rapid and brilliant, and
within less than two years he took his place at the
he nd of American humOrists.