The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-04
ADVICE BY BILL NYE.
He Tells a Young Man What to
Do to Become Eminent.
HOW TO RISE IN THE WORLD
The Story Of Ambrose and How He Be-
came Great Editor, With En-
graved Visiting Cards.
Copyright, 1891. by Edgar W. Nye.,

CRAIG-Y-Nos, Buncambe Co., N. c., Sept.
%, 1s9l.-fSpecial Correspondence. The
following letter has been waiting for some
time, but other matters have interfered
with prompt reply:
GURDoS, Ark, Aug. Is, 1891.
Edgar w. Sye, Asheville, n. C.-Dodr Sir: For
several years have been reader OF your excel.
lent "Bill Nye" articles, and being somewhat
young and litersryly inclined, have longed for
Dlt Oh advice from your pen. Probably "while
the delegations are waiting just outside your
door, you could dropa few "Nye" nuggets into
my receptacle, and they would never be missed
nave never heard that you encouraged young
scrloblers to indulge in writing to you by
answering their tiresome sheets by return mail
as, undoubtedly, you were prompted to do. I'm
knowingly make the experiment.
HOW would you advise a young man of
literary bent, and possessing a keen sense for
that which is unusual or humorous? How shall
ne ma the market without money or influence?
is humorous writing remuperative? Can you
cite an instance in regard to your gaining liter
airy notoriety2
Hlease don't dispair at this. 1t is NEARLY the
introduction OF what bore can do Possibly /,
700, snali De eminent some day. and in lieu
OF THIS great 1mpossibility will close as the OPP
portunity presents Please comply. Very sim
cerely,
Inc above letter is written by young
man who needs information about as
severely as any one with whom 1 have
ever met up. / put three asterisks in
place OF his name in order to shield his
family. This is only specimen of one
Kind OF correspondent out of list of a
great many hundreds. pause to wonder
where they all come from.
Passing over the first paragraph, which
is kind, tiattering and fulsome, let us come
at once to what Mr.. AsterIsk-Mr. Jack
Asterisk, if you please-really wants to
know.
In the first place, I do, as often and as
lucidly and peilucidly as l can with what
few talents / may embrace, answer the in
quirers who have something to inquire for,
if I am able to supply the information.
First then, Jack, you should know what
you want to inquire for, and secondly, you
should know how to spell it, Then any
one would be glad to drop the information
into your receptacle.
Undoubtedly!
Now comes the query: "How would you
advise young man of literary bent and
possessing keen sense for that which is
unusual or humorous?"
would advise such an one to avail him.
SCH VI ~ duu CiJoy III. Few people are
blest with keen sense of the unusual 1t
should be fostered.
You ask next, "How shall he find the
market without money or infiuence?"
He will naturally have great difficulty.
The market for keen sense of the unusual
was never more panicky than it is now.
Without money or influence you will
have quite long search before you will
get your price. To tell you the honest
and never dying truth, Asterisk, there is
no market for a keen sense for the unusual
or humorous. 1t is a good thing to have,
for your life will be longer and sweeter
for having it. Don't market it at all any
more than you would market your keen
relish for what is good or beautiful. You
doubtless want to find a market, not for
your keen sense of the unusual, but for
your ability to describe such things in an
entertaining way, and you cannot deliver
the goods at present, fear.
Learn first to write good English. Write
at a mark for eight or nine years and let
up on busy people, if you please. l once
knew a young man who decided to go to