The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-12-10
Josh BILLINGS.
Various Tributes to His Genial
Quaint Worth.

"a more sweet and delightful nature
than Josh Billings Henry Shaw never
lived, !" says d. r. Locke, of the Toledo
Blade, in his editorial tribute to the
dead humorist. HE was a singular
compound of simplicity and shrewdness.
HE was more philosopher than humor-
lst. His sayings will outlive those of
Poor Richard and they ought to, for
his was a pleasant philosophy that had
nothing of meanness in it.
HE did not write as a profession
Writing adopted him. He originally
wrote hIs sayings because he had to.
me public got taste for them and
compelled him to write them. He was
Rot money-maker, and yet he was in
q small way. When he found goodness
he made the public pay. He was very
shrewd IN his investments, SO that he
left his family competency.
HE eaptivated on the platform be-
cause his manner exactly fitted his mat
Ter; Ills lectures were nothing but a
collection of sayings carefully and
artisalcally arranged so as to appear
without form. He was always popular
because his talk was like his writings
intended to discourage meanness and
no be helpful to those who needed help.
lhere was not mean or selfish thinr
IN him. and his work was merely a re,
itex OF himself. He was an originator
and compressor. His great merit was
IN taking column and boiling it down
so as to get it into two lines. His work
was converting ashes into potash.
he was all in all delightful man.
and was in private life what he was on
The platform and in print. He never did
amean thing. and never had an enemy
among good men,"
HE was a man no one could know
well, said Milward Adams, of Central
Music Hall, Toledo. II asked him once
why he did not stand up and talk to his
audience, and he replied: Well, sir.
old as am, and as long as I have been
before the public, | never 90 on the
stage but | am so nervous and fright
ened that | don't know who | am for
the next twenty minutes. Do YOU
Know he used to conduct most all of his
BUSINESS correspondence by postal card.
WIN ms communication on it mostly
printed; and the characteristic thing
ABOUT this was that in the corner of the
eard was good picture of Josh in a chair
%hlie beside him, with cheek against
1is, was a donkey around whose neck
.osh had an arm. He announced his
.erms IN this fashion: I will lecture
sor fun and one hundred dollars thrown
=, ni... Aud that's what he got. unless
slsl.ing some small place where they
ssoaidnt pay as much. He picked up
ls Wisdom as he went. He told me
oaee' when l asked him where he got
~ iaeas Tor all his sayings, that he cot
.hem everywhere, looking at this thing
ahu az that as he travelled from place to
pace. de never seemed conscious that
ne was q humorist.
some years ago there was published.
ipa advertising purposes, letter which
5osh Billings wrote to gentleman in
n.s. ,ns way OF autobiography. 1t was in
anrnaa mas ). porn in Berkshire County, Mass,
naafa AZ.
ress pae ne parents, and owe what little sue.
fstham.nave nave attained to the wisdom of nv
a sfrasran1h tne p.ety of my mother At the
wsTa sss a.s age OF fifteen set my face west
banks nf ioLiowed IL until stood upon the
nians 20. OF the wide Missouri, without anv
than = aoa a me- and but little better in feelings
years :, eheerful yagrant For twenfv-fye
Ilfe NE ne various wanderings of a border
periensos sae me S acquainted with scenes and ex.
acter LIES US better calculated to cut the char-
snarp, than to refine it. and If Tesoanad
susceptih;eeaasrs SEARS, it was simply because the
nnoss isilLty issiolLty of my nature looked unnn
ii col,ng snlngs N this life as simply Joke. poH
to nnsh Jhnmon with most Americans who havo
gaaei ~ cary si, TO test their own wings en-.
iersmanh n al the usual enterprises of q front.
fa1,pasi having been at times a land -hpntar
pionee, 1IoVer, rng Steamboat captain and even
Prise az Tor partially organized an enser.
Mounta3nesa eariy y, as 1888 to cross the Rocky
nsins.- nrosa. This last-named enternrise s,as
preminannao poana failure, but its INCEPTION aSS snS
Of the eho,aoarfa oarfangements afforded me one
possession sllo that Is three letters now IN mr
Henry Clay. JOHN InIb,sen en-, TO me personally by
eh' recommending me and the