New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-08
ARTEMAS Wards PRANBS.
4 f,,icnd', Remini,ccnce. IN me Portland N,

4 Fi-icnd's "reminiscences IN me Portland Pres
once shared his room aud bed at a miserable
tavern in oxford County. The house was ola and
rickctv the window ratified hideOusly IN the Gaze
ment. the chill November wind came through a
couple Of broken panes with too much force for com
fort; and sleep was nearly impossible. After turn
ing and tossing awhile m vain endeavor To court
fOrgetfuness ARENAS rose, and lifting The lamp
made n most solemn survey Of the room ~ every
part. Presently he emerged from a deep closet ia
the corner with a diapidated hOOp-skirt in his hand
which BE- grayely hung mp before the window. Now,
what are you doing = was asked Of him. ARENAS
slowly placed the lamp on the floor turned on me
look OF PITY and with an arglmentatiye gesture ot
his night hand half muttercd tO himself Twill
keep out the coarsest of the cold anyway"
Artemas was known N the family and among hie
Fchoolmates AZ " Club q name given him 10y hia
facelcus brOtherCyrus, rs satrc on his iai gauht
makeup.
/ do NOT remember 10 have ever seen any notice of
Artcmas's happy use OF pantomimr in his humorous
moods among his friends and associates. There Was
an unapprOachable clOquence sometimes IN -. He
had a way Of making quotation marks IA The ar
with his left and right forehngers, Oh occasion that
Wis irrr.i,tibv funny. Once he was engaged Ia OIL
an evening in the lecture course Of popular literary
institution of New England city. during he lee
turc an individual who 0ccupeda seat on one of the
front benches seemed determined 10 resist the sitak-
cr's efforts 10 make HIM laugh. Arcmas soon dis
covered both the listener and his intention AMI con
ccntrated al bis powers on HIM For long time u
seemed il the man had the best OF H. bnt b and
by one of Brownies queer concerts took cucct lhe
obstinate fellow gave way and laughed and kicked
victory by Coolly announcing 10 ms audience: La
dies AMI gentlemen, this viii terminate The nr~t act,
and we will drop the curtain for few moments
while the scenery IL being arranged Tor the next act
the lecturer will take occasion to 90 out 20 see a
man. and with perfect sang frod he left the plat,
form for the ante-rOOm where he quietly refreshed
himself with-wcak tea and "A cracker and geefuuy
told the story of MS contest.
Half dozen Of his associates were sitting one
day in his room at the village hotel where ho
boarded, when an old woman drove up 10 the store
opposite with "A pair Of doukeys-a Jack and jenny
htchcd 10 "a little wagon. JACK was the noisiest
brute in the country. he had voice worse than
the handle Of the town pump on frosty morning,
and was proud of il. ~ q minute his tail rose 10
horizontal, his nose Was thrust forward, his lips
parted and the beast blew his Internal blast.
second and % third time II repeated. Artenas
quietly thought that thing might be liked" and
pcau-d tO make CAREFUL inspection OF The iofc
wheels Of the wagon, the harness and the hitchupi
and came back saying that the donkey vas
all right; the brute must have. made
were indications OF movement on jacks
pat the mock extended, the lips curled ana
the tail rose-tO the pivotal point and no further
The trumpet didn't sound. Jack Thought there was
"A mistake sOmew ere esitatrd-reliected-an
tried again The front part some Of II, was all rght,
but the equilibrium could not be reached After a
time another attempt Was made aud lalleh. JACK
turned his head around 10 ascertain the care OF the
failure but couldn't any. The fifth vain attempt
Ia BRAY was followed by epitetul kick at Jenny,
but IL didn't the matter. At ast he gave ~ np
and stood at that door the most neglected look
ing discontinued donkey in existence. Meantime,
ARENAS enjoyed the fun and discharged A rafting
fus ado of puugcnt humOr that kept The party IN
ruar and made the whole affair Of the most udi-
crous that 1 ever experienced. ARENAS hac az
tached a heavy stone % the donkeys tan, leaving
Just play enough the cord Ia allow the beast 70
get his tail nearly upto concert pitcb.D