The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-19
BILL NYE.
Character of the Gentle Humorist of Lara4
mica Colaborer's Sketch.

Character of the Gentle Humorist of Lara4
mica Colaborer'ss sketch.
James whitcomb Riley. in Cincinnati Graphic
When Edgar Wilson Nye-for that is the hui
morist's real name--reached Laramie City, ten
years ago, he had neither prestige, friends jour
nalistic experience, nor a dollar; thirty Ave
cents, in fact, constituted his cash assets, land
that is Why" he says, 81 concluded to stop right
there and invest it, feeling no hesitation what
ever in thus backing my faith in the town"
Having Unborn faculty of good-naturediy
accepting any situation, and with an experi-
mental sort of Willingness to enter into any kind
of proposition. he at last found himself engaging
to ill up the local page of little weekly paper,
his services being proffered at a rate studiously
pitched below all chance of competition, but with
q proviso tending toward just advance In re-
ward, as he proved worthy He acknowledge
that it was IAN undertaking all unwarranted,"
but, being in possession of some large words that
he seemed to have no other use for, it struck
him that the journalistic field was the place to
sow them, and hopefully await the harvest
To him it was by means trying to wander,
almost at WILL among the frontier scenes and
curious surroundings OF that then novel coun-
try, and to almost literally lose himself amid
the thousand types of cratic character that
made up the ever-varying citizenship OF this
most picturesque and utterly informal people
And every lover of the mars quaint humor owes
initial tribute to these rude subjects and accea-
series, since. without question, their study first
suggested to him the odd, off -hand humoP, yet
clean and sharp directness of his style. This
the inspiration of his genius, and so was IL
asserted in every chronicle be put in type and So
200, was he recognized by that local universe
that was his world His manner was like Ma
ture's-all untethered: and the Free loose jonted
lope OK his thought was the sweeping gait of q
booded indivdualty-the very basis Of the
method of the brain and pen to-day controlling
continents broad laughter and applause.
The only trouble, in beginning, was, the man
was overworked-for there is every evidence OF
hurry and unfnsh as we'll as of his curious and
genius But, as accommodating duties,
anxieties and serious illnesses permitted. his
composition rounded into fuller symmetry
though from the sage brush sketch up to the
gentier satire of the present. the native mirth,
wit force and directness of tho man are glitter
ing, keen, unyieldng and exact Fortunately
too, he caught in time the fact that the daily
grind of general newspaper work in which he
was involved was hamperng, and that the rush
and worry consequent would not allow his show
ing at his best; and so, justly estimating his betr
ter capabilities. he turned, as his growing means
enabled, into more ambitious paths, and
labored with a care at last in no wise
handicapped by the anxieties of q
mere consideration of the bread and butter
problem. His entire attention became steadily
directed toward higher effort. until now he finds
himself rid wholly of the matter offact attrition
of rasping struggle to exist, and lives idyl-
Ideally in his suburban homo at Hudson, Wis,
surrounded with the happiest and most con-
woman with thorough faith in her husband,
and-what is better-a wholesome compreheu-
sion of the practical side of the world and it's
requirements-is the leading factor of his real
success And then the two girs-and the baby,
the oldest of the children. Bess-so beautiful,
and brave, and gallant is she that her little plays
mates have named the robins in the trees 1.-The
Bessie birds" Then Winnie, with her fathers
own unreliable expression, and the baby, Mag
or "Mr Silberberg." as his eccentric father.
loves to squeak it in high Punch and Judy
voice. to the vast delight of every one. we'll as
'Mr. SilberherG" himself, whose rosy mouth
leaks as he gurces in intangible response. and
whose fat arms beat the joyous atmosphere like
a cherub's wings.
Nye, with children, is a veritable child him-
self On recent rainy afternoon. Nye with
Frank-'the high priced boy" who keeps his old
white horse watered, fed and "laundried"-waS
seen playing ball in the main road in front of his
house, with bat in one hand and an open nm.
brclla in the other, utterly oblvious of the ridic
ulous figure he was in the eyes of his curious
neighbors.
Even when shut away from everybody. in the
morning sessions of his work, the romping
children often violate the rule to climb the stairs
and "break in upon him, in some mighty intel-
ectual effort, with a mashed thumb, or busted
noSe and fall on his neck and sob his collar
loose, and pour their cold down his back.a
Nothing" he says, 'is so really po-thetic TO me-
as the low, sad punk of "a tear"
His common talk, with those who know him
IS continually marked Win THIS OQQ way OF
phrasing things. In apology, one time for some
ridiculous speech of this character, he said: ''It
Is the strength of the expression rather than
the elegance, Pm after-however. if it's really
necessary, I'll send around my hired man to
Another time, mildly railing against
the i'll success that had attended public benefit
to relieve church debt, he said: ''It seems the
ladies have only lifted the mortgage about high
enough to get their fingers under it," And once.
after patiently listening to the old story Of the
low ;ko
out through the heel of the heroine he very
gravey told of "a man he knew-a
clergyman, by the way-who had swallowed a
needle that finally worked ont under the shout
der blade of little grand child" But whether
we find him. as at the outset, with more pow
erty on hands than he could utilize or, as now.
with bank account sweled out like piZened
pup the same original spirit stamps his humor,
and its essence of pure wit and drollery endureSy
all subtle and pervading.
With readers in every part of the Republic
his audience is still growing one. His famous
letter. resigning his postoffice at Laramie to the
high official head at Washington, did not stop on
its hilarious career till it had penetrated the
DARK Continent" appearing in journal az
Gaze Town It evoked editorial in the digni-
fed London News, in which the author was
seriously rebuked for his off-hand way in thus
officially res;gning his Office again into the hands
of the President, and trivially informing that
great dignitary that he would find the key Of
the Office under the door mat, ETC.
Nye has also proved himself success upon
the rostrum. The New York World says: Not
since the days of Artemus Ward has SO droll
lecturer been seen on the stage" This is high
praise, but it is just. and Wards old paper the
Plain Dealer at Cleveland, most heartily indorses
the estimate.
Tributes to the real genius of the man are not
wanting from any source of the country his
humor has made happier. 1t is native with all
nations to be exacting of new claimants to their
favor, and the tests applied are long enduring and
Deryerse: so it is the victor is real one. Ger
tain it is that in his own land Nye has safely
passed all these ordeals. and is warm housed in
the heart of every glad American.
Ruined Climax
Press.
They we're seated on the sand at Atlantic City.