Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-09-05

Then In a voice in which sorrow ant
pride were mingled he whispers:
Poor Tom. But he died gamef'
Bohemian Chiefs.
There" said Jack Ryder, formerl,
Artemus Wards agent, last evening, a
he produced his scrap book and pointed
out cut of an elderly man with shor
pipe in his mOuth-One of these pecu
liar, thlck-set pipes that are indigenous
to newspaper Offices-''there was tht
King of the Bohemlans, Harry Clapp
He died in New York, where he hat
swung a sharp quill for many years
He handled the most saucy and fearles:
pen of any of the old school of Bohe
mians that used to hang out at Pfaaff's
on Broadway. Clapp made Pfaaff rich
although he himself died poor. Harry
used to take his meals there, and one
day the coffee and victuals so impressed
the celebrated Bohemian's palate thai
he wrote a column about Pfaaff's cara
vansary. True, it was puff, but
Clapp could make the rankest kind of a
puff so witty and interesting that il
would be acceptable to any journal.
Clapp's dissertation on Pfaaff and coffee
and articles that the other journalists
subsequently wrote on the same subject
made Pfaaff famous, and to be famous
as New Y ork tradesman is to be rich.
1t strikes me that it ought only to be
necessary for needy journalist to prove
that he was one of the fraternity to get
the best that Pfaaff's place affords. 1t
was great gang that hung around
Pfaaff's in the days when Charlie Brown
was delivering his one hundred lectures
at Dodworth hall. One night long,
lank, hoosiery Josh Billings, then a
poor auctioneer, called on Brown. Bill
ings had written but little then. He
wasn't one of the Bohemians. He was
too thrifty.
''A few days ago L met him in New
York for the second time. He has be-
come dignified, almost courtly gentle
man with considerable polish, and all
the evidences of prosperity. He has
grown rich, owns his own house in New
York and drives his own carriages.
The gentleman of them all, however, is
Bret Harte. He is man of medium
height and build, with full beard and
mOustache and general air of elegance.
If he takes fancy to person and gets
warmed up he is one of the most schol-
ariy and entertaining conversationallsts
that l ever met. II Billings is rich
and, mind you, don't undertake to
belittle him, for there is great deal of
him Observation-Disclosures ought to be
rolling In wealth; but he is usually hard
up. Such are the freaks fortune plays
literary men. Strange that so many
humoristS who amuSe Others have SO
little themselves to enjoy of this worlds
goods! Bailey, the Danbury News
man, called here once to see me with
reference to Artemus Ward, who was
his god as humOrist, and told me in
cidentally that he had a friend here
among the journalists who was a hu-
mOrist and man Of genius and who
had done considerable work for him.
The individual was Leonard. | had
never heard of him, but believe he was
on the Leader, The poor fellow died
in the hospital, l think, and Bailey
bought his articles, as long as he was
able to write them. l don't remember
| olDCA DColuCS IJionI.
Griswold and this other man Leonard
then on the Cleveland papers. Yes,
Griswold was humorist-when he was
drunk. He was absolutely the funniest
man when he was in liquor that l ever
saw. Artemus Ward was not always
an amusing man under the same cir
cumstances, although he would load up
with ideas that would work out in great
shape wheh he was sober. Girls was
once advance agent for a show, and
while he was at Nashville one night he
was seized with a desire to go on a
drunk. He didn't know soul, but he
stepped up to the bar and began talking
to himself, as if he had met a friend.
Girls, take drink, said he to himself
in changed tone of voice. 'Oh, no;
I've sworn off,
1.-The imaginary man urged Girls to
drink until the latter yielded. The bar
tender, who evidently took 'Gris' for a
lunatic, set out one glass, but the imag-
mary man gruffly ordered him to furnish
another glass. Girls took a glass in
each hand, clinked them together, and
with the Here S loOkin' at ye' of Girls, ,
dilu DIuih Hctlty VI Tue luldS lIidIl
man, Girls drained both glasses. Then
the imaginary man urged Girls to sing
song, and after demurring for some
time Girls complied with the request.
Girls kept up this circus for more than
an hour. 1t was fashionable resort and
some of the bloods of the city heard Of
it, gathered around and enjoyed the fun
while. Then they rushed forward, took
Girls in hand-well it was one of the
tallest times that gang ever saw in
Nashville. Charles Brown was careless
of money, but of course he aimed to get
all he could out of his business. That's
how he came to leave Cleveland. Gray
was paying him 81 900 year. He de-
manded an increase of pay. Gray was
unable to grant it, and when Vanity
Fair of New York offered him 81, 800 a
year he accepted the position. Vanity
Far died at the end of Is months.
Ward used to say that he killed it, and
then Artemus brought out his lecture.
was formerly unable to appreciate
Nasty. His letters are not funny to
me, but he has little thing in Lotos
Leaves entitled John Upanddownjohn,
which is really fine"