The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-02-20
JOSH BILLINGS.
THE HUMoRIsT's EARLY LIFE-ms CAREER
AS AN AUTHOR.

The correspondent Of the San Francisco
Chroniete yesterday found Mr.. Redpats
preparing himself for an interview by read
ipg over bundle of Josh Bilhngs' private
letters. .....
Reporter-What do you think of Josh?
Mr.. Redpath-I love the old man person.
ally, and admire the quaint author. de
is our American Solomon in cap and bells.
He is one of the men Of genius whom the
people have recognized, although the Guilt
vated classes reject him. l think Josh
Billings has as good chance OF literary
immortality as any American writer now
living.
Rep.-Nobody seems to know his history.
Can YOU tell it?
J. R.-He was born in Lanesboro, Bsrk-
shire County, Massachusetts, sixty-two or
sixty three years ago. Both his grand
father and father were members OF Con-
gress. His name is Henry w. Shaw. His
father was an intimate friend of Henry
Clay and his political manager in New Eng
land. Josh once asked me to introduce
him to Wendell Phillips to ask his advice
about publishing the correspondence be-
tween Clay and his father. Phillips ad-
vised him TO publish. Josh says that be
never dared to enter the political arena be-
cause both his grandfather and father had
left such pure records in IL His father
added farming to politics, or politics to
farming. I have forgotten which was
horse and which cart with him.
JOSH BILLINGS LIFE IN THE WEST.
Josh went to school until he was four
teen, when he started out on bis own hook
for the West. At that time there was not
mile Of railroad IN the United States.
He spent the next twenty five years OF his
life mostly out West. He turned his hand
TO everything, but fortune turned its back
on him, | believe he enjoyed the rough
life OF the frontier, but he did not make
more than bare living. Most of what l
know about Mr.. Shsw's life up TO the age
of forty five did not learn from him, but
chiefly from his friends. One OF Them
wrote that Josh :. first opened country
store, keeping . stock Of goods more re-
markaole for variety than riches, including
grindstones, needles, scythes, catnartic
pills, calico, cheap confectionery, Jow,s-
harps, east-pumps and jujube paste. In
| q year or 30 be closed the establishment.
but not without the Sheriff Q assistance"
His friend, trying to be facetious' gives
| this narrative OF Josh's next exper'
ments In tho art Of making money:
Il linen no lO0k y oh SA~~ss
gaining any credit by farming, aud was
obliged at the end of the third season &C
discontinue the noble occupation for lack
OF means TO carry it on. Next hc hired
l himself out " drive cattle, and having driver
| himself into rags and semi.stArvation ne
determined to change his clement hav,
ing obtained the place Of master OF Small
steamboat on the Missouri, he navigated
the river for two years, having In that time
sunk three vessels and lost according 70 hi
own calculation %, 600 or $40, 900, which WA
ali the more deplorable rs he had no money
10 begin with. How he made the loss D.
could never explain, except on paper. AND
his arithmetic ID SO abstrusc - 70 be u5in
telliribIo 10 the common mind. Teaching
~ his next enterprise, and saoh Was nii
snocess that ri the close OF the third tern
three or bis pupils were promoted = ~
County Lunatic Asylum. and the remsinoe'
we're pronounced deserving Of the nonor
with little more encouragement nAvlpl
convinced himself Of bis capacity - . pno
lic instructor, be decided 70 open bank
not with . jimmy and outsider e na.
Of genius would have d0ne-and ne openes
80. B1t having neither capital nor ofedI
be suspended indefinitely sfssr ehe seoons