Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-12-23
FUNNY JOSH BILLINGS.
A Document Written by tho HumorIst
Over Twenty Years Ago.

A Document Written by tho HumorIst
Over Twenty Years Ago.
That quaint humorist, Josh Billings.
penned the following letter in Carleton:
book store in this city more than scor'
of years ago, says tho New York World
and forwarded it to his literary friend.
Mr.. Bowen, of Fort Plain:
DEAR CHARLES: II you can GIT me q few
kails to leltur out your way it viii be clever IL
you. Sorry that have no pictorial biography
OF my face to send you; the fact is that am Sc
cas3cd humbly that can't be TOOK. I hav,
sent to England for ono OF The Book Billings.
Those publishers ore worse than resurrection.
fstS-thcy steel q mon whilo living. L ought to
have had ut least $500 from the London publish
ers, but never had q cent. My lektur ON milk
has been skinned for lyceum taste. There
ain't nny thing in it that need make any body
faint away, ard believe there is some nervous
truth in it.
'As regards the catastrophys in my biog-
raphy thus far, I con only state that was born
In Massachusetts, between two mountains, in
the year 1920 At the age Of 10 tho first bust
ness attacked was the wool business
driving sheep. had never been away before,
and every body seemed to know more than
did. saved myself but lost tho Cock Of sheep
pretty thoroughly. At 1G brought up on the
west bank Of the Mississippi, even in them
days quite stream. The past thirty years
have been divided, multiplied and subtracted
In and among the various schemes Of u vagrant
temperament Supplantcd in strong natural
constitution. such as husbandry in the wilder
ness, where there was more wild bees to hunt
than oats to cut; merchandising at the forks
OF mud turnpike with q stock Of brogan
boots, Lowell calico and whisky by the quart,
running high pressure steam boat on the
Ohio rivera lively life, where man can see
human natur with the bark on, and learn how
to swear with great precision. Also spcculated
In West India stores and potash, the two first
crops OF new country; an auc:ioncer, and for
eight years o land hunter on Indian trails, and
made tough by riding hog-skin saddle and
eating acorn.fcd pork and corn. dodgers.
MY life has been q success thus far, for
am still alive, but pecuniarily, who ever made
money by playing tho eccentric wanderer from
one rude vocation to another but little better
than the common trapper and honey and pen
sion hunter? l have had much comfort out OF
oil this, and would not take tho best farm in
the State Of Now York for the sights have
seen. My literary raid has been short, but
sweet Ihavc had as much fun out OF it as
any man who ever lived, aut when reflect that
1t Is but little more than Ave years since first
put comic on paper, can certainly feel that IL
have not made much coin, have tho quiet
satisfaction of knowing that have never writ
ten line in malice against the truth or virtue
OF tho world. might have gained more wis.
dom by sleeping in cloiSter, but would have
missed the larlis' wild Ing IN the morning and
the sober boot OF tho midnight owl in the will
derness. was never sick all day in my life;
never saw man In tight spot but what was
willing to loosen tho screws; have lived among
tho high and tho low, and never put in my peck
ct knife or pistol. Excuse this If it looks
like egotism. only moan to brag on the joy the
world hos furnished mo. Yours tenderly,
HENRY w. SHAW, Josh Billings.
New York. January 90, 1857"