The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-27
JOSH BILLINGS.
The Alleged Humorist on Lecturing and
Proverb- Making.

Proverb- Making.
Josh Billings, the famous humorist,
is making a featuring tour throughout
the country, and recently departed
for California, Pa, where he viii de-
liver his humorous lecture. A reporter
caught glimpse of him this morning
seated on one of the benches at the
Union Station, musing}y watching the
people going to and fro, evidently on the
alert for a suggestion for a new humor-
Gus story. When approached by the
writer he entered into a pleasant con-
yersatjon, prefacing his remarks by sta
ting that he was out OF sorts, and had
not been well for some time. 81 believe
am breaking down." he said. Il have
been suffering for a LONG time with gas
trio trouble and catarrh. / thought |
would give my annual series Of lectures
as usual this year, that my health would
improve if | moved around, but it's no
use. | am afraid will have TO give it
mp"
"What is the nature of the lecturer"
80, it's the same I've been on the
road with tor thirty-two years, the
Probabilities of Life Each wear |
change the name of it, that's all. 1t is
so full of points that the people who
hear it laugh, and before come around
again they have forgotten most of what
| told them, and don know any better
when they hear the same funny things
again. make it point to give the
lecture so fast that it would be rather
liilicult for my auditors to remember
all | say. expect to keep on delivering
it as long as | live, and expect this to
be the last thing | will dc"
You have been writing nearly all
your life, have you not?"
mo, | didn't do much until l was
forty years of age. l am now sixty-eight
years old, so have been writing CON
stantly for over twenty-five years. l
have been writing for the New York
Weekly for eighteen years, and have
never missed a week since | sent them
my first half column. Humorous
writing is now almost played out.
People have had so much OF it that they
are tired Of it. ! don't think / will do
much more special work. The funny
book business has been overdone.
There's more money in an almanac.
And, by the way, when | wrote my
Josh Billings Farmers Almonic, - in
1870, the first publisher 1 offered it to
thought it was no good, and would not
give me even $3.50 for it. He made a
mistake though, for during the ten years
il was published, up until 1880, | cleared
$50, 900 on it. Conclusive evidence OF
its worth, is it not? Yes, the alnaDacs
take better than humorous book would
nowadays"
You were located in Pittsburgh for
a short time a number Of years ago,
We're you notPn
Yes, | was well acquainted in Pitts
burgh thirty years ago. About that
time company was organized in the
East to build a boat at Pittsburgh thai
was to transport coal. was sent from
the East to superintend the building OF
it. Afterward / acted as Captain, and
ran it one trip down the Conemaugh
River. The New York company, which
originated on Wall Street, got up the
scheme merely to sell the stock and Get
out of the company after pocketing a
nice sum. The idea was to run things
on high pressure. They were disap-
pointed, though, for the scheme was
unsuccessful and they were badly left
l knew nothing of their scheme when
they employed me, and soon after left
the boat"
40 come backto our original matter
to your style of hum0r?n
"Well, it was based on opportunity :,
it required no little gumption to see
where to fit in. About every line had
been filled by some body or another.
The misspelling was a success with
Artemus Ward-the probabilities were
it would not be with anybody aspiring
to succeed him. Quaint maxim has
been the lead of several proverbial
philosophers. The people had been
Photographed most thoroughly, and
Phoenix, Twain and no end Of other
people had dipped into other branches.
In the absence of something entirely
original, you observe hit on combi-
nation-a new application of old devices,
as it We're. The quaint wit and wisdom
of the Sayings" would take with the
small proportion of mankind who have
the true appreciation of those qualities,
while the peculiar photography would
take with the remainder. 1t was a sort
of grand combination aggregation, as
the circus Advance agent would call it,
1t was reSorted to because it paid, and
has been adhered to for the same rea-
son. h-PiHSbUr0h Chronicle Tele0rn1h