The Osceola times., 1885-01-03
JOSH BILLINGS.
The Alleged Humorlst on Lecturing and
Proverb-Making.

The Alleged Humorlst on Lscturing and
Proverb-Making.
Josh Billings, the famous humorist,
arrived in the city last evening at nine
o'clock on the limited express from New
York, and registered at the Monongahela
House. He is making lecturing tour
throughout the country, and this moIp-
ing departed for California, Pa, where
he will deliver his humorous lecture to.
night. A reporter caught a glimpse of
him this morning seated on bench at
the Union Station, musingly watching
the people going to and fro, evidently on
on the elert for a suggestion for new
humorous story. When approached bv
the writer he entered into a pleasan'
conversation, preftcing his remarks by
stating that he was out of sorts, and had
not been well for some time. 81 believe
am breaking down." he said, 81 have
been suffering for a long time with gas
tric trouble and cat lrrh. ! thought
would give my ann al series Of lectures
as usual this year, that my health would
improve if I moved around, but it's no
use. am afraid | will have to give it
up"
"Wbat il the nature of the lecturer"
"Oh, it's the same ! have been on the
road with for thirty -t@o years, the Pro
liabilities Of Life Each year 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 I have told
them, and don't know any better when
they hear the same funny things again.
make il point to give the lecture so
fast that 1t would be rather difficult for
INV auditors to remember all ] say. |
expect TO keep on delivering it as long
as live, and expect this to be the last
thing ! will do
"You have been writing nearly all your
life, have you no,?"
"No. didn't do muck until | was 10
years of age. | am now 6S years old, so
/ have been writing constantly for over
twenty five years. have been writing
for the New York Weekly for eighteen
years, and have never missed Il 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 ha, been Cverdone. There
is more money in an almanac. And. by
the way, when wrote my Josh Billings
Farmers Almanac in 1860, the first
Publisher | offered il 10, thought it was
no GOOD, and would MT give me even
$3.50 for IT, fle made "A mistake though,
for during the ten years it was published
up until 1880, | cleared $4,000 on it.
Conclusive evidence of its worth, is IT
moi? Yes. the almanacs take better than
a humorous book would nowadays"
"You were located in Piusburg for
short time number of years ago, were
You noi?"
"Yes, | was well acquainted in Pitts
burg thirty years age. About that time
company was organized in the East 10
build boat at Pittsburg that was TO
transport coal. ! was sent from the East
to superintend the building of it, After
wards | acted a. captain and ran it one
trip down the Conemaugh River. The
New York company, which originated
on Wall street, got up the scheme merely
n sell the stock ana get out of the com
pany af,er pCcketing nice sum. The
idea was TO run things on high pressure.
1nev were disappointed, though, for The
scheme was unsuccessful and they were
badly left. l. knew nothing of their
scheme when they employed me, and
soon after lett the boat
What is your opinion of the result Of
the late Presidential, electiun?"
Il have Given it very little attention.
All know is that the only thing that
will NIX well with politics is whisky.
Politics are running the country. | hard
~ know whether | am a Democrat or
Republican. ! did not vote either ticket
this year. | guess, though am more Of
4 Republican than a Democrat You
can't tell anything about what the fOrtu.
nate party wi, do when it comes in
power
ITO come back to our original matter
to your style of humor?"
wei, it was based on opportunity; il
required no little eump.ion to see where
to lit in. About every line had been rill-
ed by somebody or another. The mis-
spelling was success with AJtemus
Ward-the Probabilities were it ould
not be with nybody aspiring TO succeed
him. Quaint maxim has been the lead
OF several proverbial philosophers. The
people had been pamgrlpbed most thor
ougfly, 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 a
combination-a new application of old
devices. as it were. The quaint VT and
wisdom Of the sayings" would take with
the small proportion of mankind who
have the tue appreciation of those quail
ities. while the peculiar orthography
would take with the remainder. 1t was
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 reason"
Pittsburg Chropicle-Telegraph