Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-02

For some time I have been gricving
oyer the dearth Of humol in America,
and wondering who the great coming
humorist was to be. Several papers
have already deplored the lack Of hum
or in our land, but they have not been
able to put their finger on the APP
preaching humorist of the age. just
as we had begun to despair, however,
here he comes, quietly and unostenta-
tiously, modestly and ungrammati-
cally. Unheralded and silently, like
Maud S. or any other eminent man, he
slowly rises above the Kansas horizon,
and tells us that it will be impossible
to conceal his identity any longer. He
is the approaching humoristl OF the
nineteenth century. ..
1t is a serious matter, Herman, to
prescribe a course of study that will be
exactly what you need to bring you out.
Perhaps you might do well to take q
Kindergarten course in spelling and the
rudiments of grammar; still that is
not absolutely necessary. A friend of
mine named Billings has done we'll as a
humorist, though his knowledge of
spelling seems to be pitiablv deficient.
Grammar is convenient where a hui
morist desires to put"on style or show
off before the crowned heads, but it is,
not absolutely indispensable.
Regarding the Coolest Pooks" neces-
sary for your p%erusal in order to chisel
your name on the eternal tablets of
fame, tastes will certainly differ, 1 am
almost sorry that you wrote me, be-
cause we might not agree. You write
like one of these s'Joly'' humorists such
as people employ to go along with a
picnic and be the life of the party, and
whose presence throughout the coun-
try has been so depressing. If one
may be allowed to judgeof your genius
by the few autograph lines forwarded,
you belong to that class Of brain-work-
ers upon whom devolves the solemn
duty of pounding sand. II you are
really a brain-worker, will you kindly
inform the writer whose brain you are
working now, and how you like it as
far as you have gone?
American humor has burstforth from
all kinds of places nearly. The various
professions have done their share. One
has risen from q tramp until he is
wealthy and %dyspeptic, and another
was blown up on asteamboat before he
knew that he was a humorist.
Suppose you try that, Herman. NJ.
Quad, one of the very successful
humorists of the day, both in a literary
and q financial way, was blown up by
a steamboat before he bloomcd forth
into the full flush and flower of sue
cess, Try that, Herman. 1t is a Sc
we're test, but it is bound to be a sue
cess. Even if it should be disastrous
to you, it will be rich in its beneficial
results to those who escape.
Prepare a few dying words and for
ward them to me, so that in case of a.
cident we might be prepared for tie
worst, then eXcurt up and down tle
Great Parent Of Waters on its fathers
side until the boiler bursts. Then Will
our morbid curiosity be gratified.
You will either come down one of
Americas most grotesque humorists, OF
you will land in such a diversified a1d
%concusscd condition that it will be no
great disappointment to you, anyway.
Try this, Herman, and, if you desire, l
will procure the signatures of a large
a of people throughout the United
States who would be perfectly willing
that You should try the experiment.
Bill Nyc, IN Puck.