Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-03

Anecdotes of the HumoriSt'S YOUTH
Visitors to His Aged Mother.

OF all the pretty inland hamlets of
Maine, and they are many, not one sur
passes in picturesqueness and quiet
beauty the little Village of Waterford,
IN Oxford County, where Charles F.
Brown, better known as s'Artemus
Ward, was born. The place is about
forty-tive miles from Portland. 1t con-
talns only about 100 inhabitants. 1t lies
on the shore of large lake known as
LON Pond, at the foot of precipitous
mountain called Mount Tire'm The
inhabitants are mostly farmers. and, as
rule, we'll to do. Within the limits of
the township are many hills, ponds and
fine trout brooks, while the crooked
river manages, by hard work and strict
attention to business, to wander eigh-
teen miles in crossing the seven mile
wide township. The country about
Waterford is fertile, and once contained
the finest belt of pine timber in Maine.
Artemus liked Waterford, but not Ok
ford County; for he relates that within
two months after a ScurrilOuS Young
man had made fun of his bald head his
aunt died and left him farm in Ok
ford County, Me. The human mind
can picter no crater misfortin' than
this. -
Artemus' father died when the boy
was about IA years DID, and as the fam
lily circumstances were somewhat limit
ed thereby, he was apprenticed to Mr.
j. NJ. Xix, who published the Coos
Democrat, at Lancaster, n H. The
stage line at Lancaster ran by the
Brown homestead. and the drivers were
not unfamiliar with the ability of the
future genial Snowman" in the way
of practical jokes. They knew how he
organized shows, wherein his father
red COW, with a coat sleeve stuffed full
of hay hanging from her nose, served
as the elephant upon which innocent
country youth were invited to ride with
startling results. They knew, too.
how old Deacon Hale's white horse had
been induced to wander away for miles
following a tempting bit of hay, hung
just beyond reach by means of lath
strapped to the horses neck. There
was an endless series of pranks gotten
up by the boy to mystify the villagers
in general, and his mother in particu-
lar, and all these were we'll known to
the stage drivers. SO when the Young
to know as much as possible about his
future residence, the veteran driver,
Steve Scary, having previously con-
spired with the boys in RiX's office to
give young Brown Il fitting reception,
assured him that MIR. Rix was a pious
man, and that his hands were, if any
thing more pious than he, and the
sooner the would-be apprentice cram
med on the catechism the better Charles
listened dolefully. 1t was late at night
when the stage reached Lancaster, and
in the morning young Brown hied him
self to the office. The force consisted
of a journeyman and an apprentice
named Smith. They received him
Solemnly. The journeyman handed him
a Bible and made him read q chapter,
after which he was examined on
the catechism. His ignorance was
severely commented upon, but he was
permitted to go to work. At noon
similar performance was enacted, while
intense gloom rested on the office dur
ing the day. The next morning
Charles went to the office resolved to
run away at the end OF the week, but
on looking about, failed to find his fell
low craftsmen. Further search reveal
ed them under the garnet stairs too
intoxicated to walk. Young Brown
was so angry over the sell that he
wrote note to the driver threatening
vengeance, which was never carried
out.
Browns fame as humorist was a
surprise to all who knew him, and
even to himself. A greater surprise to
his kinsfolk now is the interest still
manifested in the dead merrymaker
and his work. They thought that all
attention would cease with his life, but
every year the number of people who
visit Waterford to see his mother-noW
almost so years Old-increases.
The town has changed but little since
his time. The village green, about
which he wrote and loved to think, is
as green and pretty as ever. The old
Brown homestead is still one of the
best in town, and the tide of summer
travel troubles the quiet streets but
little
Browns remains are buried in Elm
vale Cemetery, near, the old Emerson
place. The grave is marked with
plain slab, much neglected. At
the time of his burial some of his liter
airy friends proposed getting up
monument, and did pass resolu-
tons to that effect. The monument,
though much needed, has never ap-
peared. A copy OF the resolutions was,
however, sent to the grateful relatives.
AS usual, in such cases, all the villagers
looked with much suspicion on the re-
port of Charles successes. Had they
not always known him as atow-headed,
mischieyous lad whose future they dis
liked to predict. But now the line en-
grayed upon his tombstone seems to be
true wherever "a. Wards sayings
are known:
'tHis memory shall remain a sweet
and unfading recollection.