The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-01-19
ARrEMus WARD.
Detroit Free Press ]

Smith, and the ether day chancing to meet C.. A. Hough, Mir. Smith was re- minded of the following experience with the great humorist:
 In 1865 "Artemus was featuring at Toronto and his next stand |" was De troit. As they were about to leave the Dominion. "Artemus and his manager thought it would be good plan to stock themselves with various articles of wear ing apparel. Accordingly Mir. Smith bought forty yards of silk for dress for his wife and "Artemus " purchased thirty yards of English Melton for a suit of clothes, and after tEe purchase the great question arose of how the goods should be smuggled across the border.
 I'll tell you what to do," said Browne to Smith stop off at Windsor and go to a hotel Get a room and going there take oil your coat, vest and shirt, and wrap the silk about your body, putting your clothes over it. Then you can cross the river without interference"
 Mir. Smith thought the idea a good one. and retaliated by suggesting to "Artemus" that the English Melton might be wound on the roller with the
 
 tion. Both ideas were carried out, ex- cept that when Mir. Smith-coming in advance of the humorist and his pano- rama-stepped ashore at the foot of Woodward avenue he was familiarity greeted by stranger with, How are you. Smith? How's 'Artemus P" Think ing the gentleman was one to whom he had previously been introduced but whose name he had forgotten, Mir. Smith responded cordially, and did not realize the tact that the stranger was customs officer until, after inquiring after his health, he said: "You look dropsical, what ails you!
 "l am troubled with dyspepsia and tear it may bring about dropsy," said MT Smith.
 :" can cure dyspepsia or dropsy by simply laying on of hands. Take of stranger. Mir. Smith. determined to play bluff game to the last, took of the coat and then his vest but when the stranger said, take of your shirt" MT. Smith asked, Who told you had this silk about me?'
 The customs officer laughed as he handed Mir. Smith letter giving an ae- curate description of that gentleman's personal appearance, and stating that he had the silk wrapped about his body, the signature to the letter being Charles F. Browne" Artemus Ward" Mir. Smith got even by exposing the hiding-place of Wards Melton, and the result was tha, while the agents silk went through free, "Artemus was obliged to pay a fine of $50 for his cloth.
 "Who was the. courteous official ?" asked a reporter for the Free Press at the conclusion of the story.
 "l will not mention his name. saw him to-day and he is prominent citi- ren," said Mir. Smith.
 That reminds me-" said Mir. Hough, of the drawing qualities of Artemus Ward at the time Mir. Smith speaks of Mir. Smith came to mel was then man. ager of the Athen.eum- and wanted to play with me on percentage. l knew the great Charles kean would be the op- posing attraction at Young Mems hall and was doubtful of Wards ability to do good business with such a rival. Accordingly rented my thea,er-l think for hundred dollars night-to MT. Smith. The sale of reserved seats for both kean's season and Arteums Wards season began on the same day at Whit ney's music store, then on Jefferson ave nue. By Tuesday evening every sea, for the Ward lectures was sold while the take for kean's season was only ordi- narily fair. Then realized ,ha, had made d mistake"
 "Abou, six months after our appear ance in Detroit" resumed NIT. Smith. we were fll.ins an engagement at New Orleans. One day three elderly ladies called on me at the hotel and said they were committee from the Ladies Aid society of Louisiana asked them to be seated and IS to wha, could do for them. Then one of the ladies, hesta,- ingly. told me that the mission was del icate one, as was a northern man who had four brothers killed in the union army. and as my sympathies were entire ly with the north. Instantly felt sure that it was one of Wards jokes, but i again asked the object of the visit, at which the ladies explained that they had requested Mir. Ward to deliver lecture under their auspices for the benefit of Mrs. Jefferson Davis that Mir. Ward had expressed deep regret because he was under salary to me and could do no,h- ing without my consent If was will ing, he would gladly deliver the lecture gratis. He told us to approach you with diplomacy, and that he would abide by your decision,' continued the lady,
 ~Thereupon explained to the ladies that was by birth Nirginian, that l had four brothers in the southern army. that none of them were killed, and that if had any prejudices they favored the south. Then, satisfying myself that Ward had tried to put up job on me, told the ladies Mir. Ward would give them the desired lecture. Without seeing or saying anything to him about 1t, ob- tained the use. free, of the largest hall in the city, advertised the thing heavily, visited the Charity hospital, and got them to set aside the license fee, and MT Ward delivered the lecture to an audi enoe of over 2,Sooo persons, a purse ol nearly & 900 being thus obtained fo. Mrs. Davis"