Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-01-17
WHEELING REGIsTG RsUNDAY JANUARY H. 1se2TEN PAGES

resemble these caricatures. They mere
~ suggest the man as he is,
Since Nye's popularity has become
universal wherever the English Ian
guage is read, he is no longer comnared
Win any man, and no one tries to con-
meet MS pucullar and delightful ability
man.
Very many documents Of Nye's life
nave been written. Most of them are
nlppant and many Of them are feeble
limitations Of the humorist's peculiar
literary mannerisms. He really de-
serves more serious treatment. His
popularity, which seems undimmed; his
great pecuniary successes and his rec
ognition OF late by those who have
been called the arbiters Of literary fame
10 this country entitle him to some
thing more than history which is
mere jest.
In all the accounts Of Nye nothing
has been said of one qualification, which
must have brought him success sooner
or later, and that IS his business capac-
lty. IL IS remarkable. No other hui
morist excepting Mark Twain has re-
vea!ed such gift. John Phoenix was
notably improvident. Had Artemus
Ward possessed Nye's business instincts
and his moral fiber he could have earn
ed fortune in q few years, and other
humoristS who have won some fame
have done well If they have been able
to earn bare living with their pen.
Nye, however, has the business In
stinct as native gift, and he has cult
waited IL well. When ne began to write
his sketches for the Boomerang he had
no idea that they would be OF more than
local interest, nor in fact did he realize
the humOr that was in them or its mar
ket value. He simply reported things
In Laramie as he saw them, not under
standing that his mental vision and his
capacity TO reproduce it ON paper was Of
such peculiar nature as would gain for
him fame, would create in the popular
mind demand for a constant supply OF
IL, and would therefore have pecuniary
value.
He, however, realized this when, to
his intense surprise, he found that his
sketches were appearing in every news
paper in the land. He had an indistinct
idea at once that II these things were
worth reprinting they were worth pay
ing for. They brought him nothing
but fame in Laramie, and there he re-
ceiyed far less appreciation than any
where else. Fame in that town was not
money, and the boomerang gave up the
ghost.
Nye had determined that it was his
duty to cultivate this talent, because he
saw in it an opportunity TO gain, at
least, fair support, but while he was
turning over in his mind the course best
70 pursue, he was brought to deaths
door by an attack of meningitis, and
when he was recovering from that he
was the victim Of cyclone which had
its way with him, blowing him hither
and thither, and finally depositing him
on the sod with a broken leg and some
fractured ribs. This OF course brought
him to halt for awhile. While con-
valescing in the south he wrote an ex-
quiSite sketch accom- panying 1t with
picture which he drew, and sent 1t to
the New York World rather timidly.
That paper instantly printed it, and for
warded to Mr.. NYe a proposition to join
its staff.
His business instinct served him well
on this occasion. Nine men out OF ten
would have been only too glad X they
were situated as he was to form stan
connected with the World upon terms
proposed by that paper, but Nye was
wise. He felt that it would be a dan
gerous thing for q humorist to go to
New York city. He doubted whether
such a person could maintain himself
there, and he believed that the chances
were that in the whirl OF newspaper life,
and especially Of a newspaper conduct
ed at such high pressure as the World,
the humorist would be stunned, his
work would become forced and arti-
fetal. his identity would be lost and he
would sink to the dead level OF the
average.
Nye therefore determined to make
proDosition to the World himself. tie
went offering business, not seeking any
employment the paper might have to
Give. He did not expect that his offer
would be entertained, but to his sur
prise il was. He was engaged 10 write