The Columbus journal., 1885-04-15
GEORGE D.
Incidents in the Career Of fthe Isssowned
d, Humorist.

GEORGE D. PRENTICE.
Incidents in the Career of ithe Es.owned
= Humorist.
There is a sort of general icca that
Prentice was "a bad man with . gun"
a d~uelist, and all that sort of thing.
Nothing could be more erroneous. The
fact is he never fought a duel, hut was
sometimes, from the nature of bis bust
ness, forced to personal and sudden
rencounters. He was frequently chal-
lenged, but always made fun Of mes
sageS. Once he wrote his challenger
that, it only took one fool to- send q
challenge, while it took two to sight,
and he didn't wish to be classed n the
category. On another occasion be &C
cepted the challenge, and having; the
choice of weapons, insisted that each
man should be armed with a straw and
q cask of whisky, and that each should
suck with his straw from his own cask
until one fell, and that one should be
considered v~anquished and the others
honor satisfied.
Prentice was an exceedingly candid
man, as the following anecdotes will
show: Once Will S. Hays, the famous
song-writer, in conversation with him,
said: Il suppose, Mr.. Prentice, you
have seen my last song?" With a sly
and quizzical look at the minstrel, he
replied: well. l hope so, Bill"
Coming out Of a public building one
day, where there were double doom
which swung in and out, a young man.
who was coming in, pushed against the
left-hand side of the door in which to
enter, while Mr.. Prentice was pushing
against the other side of the door. try
ing to make his exit. The result was
a ri~diculously awkward halt. Finally.
when the two had managed to got the
DOR open, Mr.. Prentice said to the
fromger: my young friend. in max
assurpur way through the world. if you
- only keep to the right you will
!"o'e .r run against anybody but . fool.
to r you needn't apologize to him."
-mebody stole the unabridged die
WAY once from the editorial room of
the iu1r ri, and Mr.. Prentice. having
from boys Use that valuable tome; dis,
ass: Forthwith he ordered
.ue"oe 10 'ne ipy of the book be pur-
bles, d~es:royiL, For" said he. mo
property. oless egotiSt would at
- newspaper without a
Mr.. Try"
new. Erentice's hat was one Of his ee-
,.S.. ties. He always had it more
iilf full of bits of paper not larger
ne Wsnostal stamp, on each of which
q sulky pltten a word or two, in the
die. dead moranda. Besides, he car
.pocket-knife, pencils, scissors.
ACCoRI and pOrten Onnaie in it, and
mont ines, in an absent-minded way,
Gould put q well-masticated chew
[otobaccO into it instead of throwing
the cud away.
Many persons from abroad used to
call on Mr.. Prentice when they were in
Louisville, as though he was one of the
curioSities of the city. or just for the
purpose of being able to say that they
had talked with such a great man. and
this was peculiarly annoying to him, as
he was inclined to be retiring and
really never thought of comprehending
his own fame. On one occasion an old
friend called on the editor, and brought
with him a callOw young man from
bOHc" ulucllIeu loCalibs III IhC Iuioi
districts. This youth was particularly
curious, and actually asked MI. Prem
tice to say something funny.
The ludicrous remark was smoothed
over as quickly as possible by
the gentleman who brought the
Young man in. and shortly there.
after some liquid refreshments
were ordered to be brought up to
the sanctum. Mr.. Prentice had chosen
amInt-julep. and when it came he held
it up and asked the gentleman why
that drink was like his young friend:
OF course the young man. feeling flat
tered by the attention, was eager tC
know, and begged for the answer to
the conundrum. Finally, turning t.
the gentleman. Mr.. Prentice said will
a pleasant smile: This is a green
horn"
Once Mr.. Prentice met an acquaint
ance on the street who was very mucl
intoxicated. and he declared to the Wi
that he was all hunkidOri-" "Wha
do you mean by hunkidori?' said MIR
p. Il mean. sir" said The inebriate
''that | am pretty drunk" WELL
said Mr.. Prentice. IF %hunkidOri mean
pretty drunk, L think you are nunkl
dori." In 1868 Hon. Henry Waiter
son became editor and part owner o
the Journal, andMr Prentice. who haC
grown quite feeble. did very LITTLE
work. In the course of six month.
the journal was consolidated with thu
Courier and became what is known q
the Courier-JOurndL. About 4 yea
after, Mr.. Prentice died at the res:
dence of his sou. Colonel Clarence
Prentice. a few miles below Louisville
on the Ohio River.
He was a powerful editor. and wa.
the most brilliant Photographer of thu
age-indeed, the first one of any note
His wit was bright and sparkling. hi
satire keen. his e~loGuencs grand, hi
poetry beautiful. his logic unanswer
able. A deep thinker. a profoun,
reasoner; genial, hopeful, human, and
therefore, sometimes erring. he had tn
best of friends, the bitterest enemies
and he was, all in all. a great ant
gifted nan genius.-W. l.. Tsscher
in Denrer Opinion.
a LOGGING.CAMP BOSS.