Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-07-21
lCpp,rixhls.i hI lAs Anefioaa rr,.s Az.

ver.e's cory New York home anil listened
for an hour while my host anil his gifted
wife. Harriet MAXWELL Converse. enter
,ainei me with rrminisccncos ~ their
famous cousin. Charlrs farrar browne.
h,ttsr known to tho world ~ Artsmus
WAri-
we wcrv married In is6i.- remarked
Mr. Conycrse. "and LEI, America on
wha, may b, called an unliinitci vel.
ling Journey. We wandered through
Eurvpe and the Orient for hvo years,
and didn't turn our faces homsward un-
~ the early fall % is65. Then, while
Stopping at the I.angham, In London. ]
l.arn-i that Arteinus was In town. ]
hun,~i him up. ani b. returned with
me to the hotel. Ills face was thin. his
ey.- abnOrmally bright AMI his spiriis
s1mewha, depressed. lie had Just con.
,ibut.i hi. drs, article to Punch. IL
ihlnt suit him. Ia fact hc regarded IL
With scurn and rrfrrr~lto II A. internal
dhb.rish.' Thus weighted down with
the blue. he grcct~l Mrs. Converse, and
after formal welcome hal t-.n ex.
changed. cAplo'icii Harriet. how nice
your hair looksl | newer can get mine
% suit. lndeci nothing about the curls
cIc.p, this blamed big no~s of nine
AL thu rcst l. angles
Then be went un ~ unbur'lsn his -oul
u various grievances. The chief ~ thee
Nas his inability to s-cum = suitable
hall In which to deliver his lccturss
Finally ho brighien~l up Ia the quaint
AMI loyabl. fashion that ~ cndearcl him
to his friends. and suggested visit to
tho theatre.
Wen get you q nice sca,, Harriet
he urgcl. "ani then I want Frank to
loaf around among the gc!s with me
PERHAPS can pick up . few idcNs.-
Herr Is Mr. Conycr-.'s version Of
what followc,ii The boys ssv me ooin-
tor,ably plsc,'i in one % the stalls and
then left grvw interested n the play
pro.,r,--s,i and hal forgotten th-m Tor q
moment. when all at one. the h0u-s Was
hlled with q sharp. penetrating. uproar'
ious laugh II came from the top .,ai.
l,ry. and looking up saw Ariemus and
my husband surrounded by an amusSi
ani sympathetic crowd % Iropls who.
attention hal l--n distracted from the
stag. by the funny HAmerican's' sio-
nc.. Quiet succc.slci. but when the
curtain went down no one apIrarci Ia
.-cort m. home. went % tb. front II
the theatre and ihcr found Frank try
Ing to rra-on with his cousin. Aricmu'
va. In one - the widest ~ his prank
i.h humors. and was engaged In dissem'
mating information to . cabrlan on tss
r,.ults ~ the civil war ani the ouiiook
for reconstruction In the southern stats.
II -sins that ths boys hal left the gal
Iery AMI wcrc coming In from the sirs<
to take charge % me when they were
greeted with the query
'"Keb. grntsy
"Artsmus stoppi and unmarked,
Frank, here's chance 10 DO missionary
work Then turning to the driver he
continued. No. air: don't wish heb,
but I desire q kebman. What "a youi
charge rer hour
1.-Two and siI anywhere In tbe city
sir -,
Here. your two and ax and shil'
ling extra Tor tip. Now. lwant you 4
stand there, look m. In the eye and 70
ceive instruction regarding the Irriou'
state % Affairs now prevalent In thu
grea, republic over which ws,c- thu
STAR and Strips.
Frank AMI ! went home while h'
Wa still talking. lie called next dsy
and remarked gleefully; u pour.i rcd
hot facts into that Iiritisher and the ~
s.mblci multitude for twenty minutes
| Then cabby offered me the money baci
10 let him OF. and let"
Tho only place Browne thought suit
able for the delivery Of his lecturc- wa
Egyptian hall. and that chanccd TO II
lea-,d for the seAson ~ an Engiish hu
morist named George Ilo-s. Rosa, ovei
the nom lie plume of Arthur Skctchly
hal written q lot Of articles on Tn
Experiences Of Mn Brown" Tbcss HI
hal utilized with some success ~ ma
terial for course Of Lectures
.one day." said Mr.. Converse, :"
heard Artenus coming along ths com
dor 10 our apartments laughing uproar
iously. lie burst through the door ant
criri. Frank, n you'll help me ! think
can get Egyptian hall within the week.
All right Irplicd. command my serv
io...' lie then outlined his scheme. Tha
evening we dined with some friends. an
one Of the guests 10 whom was intru
ducssi was Mr.. George Roe. What,
acclaimed, is this the famous Arthu
Sketchly whose works are - popular u
the Unit.d Statesy lie aS-ented as .
the name. but was surprised To learn
his foreign fame. ] told him OF tn
grcat furore his books had created. In
ds-d, I taikei with him all evening.
hal eyes AMI ears for no one else.
wonhiped at the shrine of his genius
and finally I remarkedi What splet
ala thing it would be. Mr.. Roe. no,
rat Americas most famous humorist
In this country. for you. the forcmos
English laugh provoker. to go to tn
states ON lecturing tour! Every ON
there IL fascinated with your writing
and you would be sure Of glorious n
ception.
"He jumped ut the bait like hungr
ash. In thrcs days Artemus had ID
hall and Mr.. Rose was EN- route for Ne'
York. He didn't do very well. unde'
stand; and on going home wrote vir'
lent and abusive hook entitled 'lmpre
dons Of America"
I'VE witnessed our cousins subs
auent triumphs." remarked MI. Co'
yerse, "and sorrowed over his physic'
breakdown. We were with him gre'
. deal during his illness. and would ha'
remained TO the last had not an imper
tive summons recalled Us to the Unit
Stats. We part~l just before he wei
70 the isle Of Jersey. He Wa hopef
With that vain hops that always insptr
A. --sS.~. .oI vxTuruin>>I Tn fO|