Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-01

ic WIS Bluei 10 MS post Dy coubh-1yi NP'
and bes'sged by bottles and tooth-bushes
Decades crept on, and YEARLY the nuinor-
ist-for he IL a humorIst-sold bread-piiis
at % cents a box to the unsuspecting pub
lie, or sadly arranged menus or caio-
mel and ipecac for his suffering towns
men. One night, when Polk lay on MS
couch. with the slender-waisted musqui-
toes humming plantation melodies around
his pharmaceutical head, still small
voice said unto him. Noble inventor OF
the infallible dog medicine. thou ART
destined for better things. Arise ava go
unto Horace +. Smith, the great ana
muscular Clothe thyself In purple ana
fine raiment. and haste thee TO New YORK.
There deliver unto the people tiny lecture
ON "The Old-Time Darky," and behoti.
thou wilt come again unto the lana OF
thy forefathers with thy superannua,ed
sock filled with gold-aye. much inne
gold" At this juncture the still, small
voice" apologized for being called upon
TO make speech. and after stating that
II came wholly unprepared' to ADDRESS
the meeting, wiped it's feet on the door
mat and disappeared. And POLK was sore
afraid, and did marvel greatly, after
which he did fall asNep and snore muchly.
The historian. after relating so much
man on the other side Of the street who
was about to treat to drinks, ana LETT
hence am compelled to describe the rest
OF PoIk's career in my own humble
bassoD-and-cabbage style. Suffice II TO
say the druggist secured the services OF
.ir. Horace +. Smith formerly physlcal
.nrructor of the Young Mems Christiah
h,ociation) as his manager and advance
agent, and started on the road as pro
fessional lecturer Horace Smith is
clever accomplished man, ana the hrst
step he took on finding himself mus non
ored was to have his visiting cards PRINT
ed Horace Forsythe Smith, with an
elaborate splashing OF hourishes ana
ctirly-q's on the "Forsythe." That one
little coup" on Smiths part has, more
th..n anything else, helped TO make POLK
famous. though Horace AYERS that at the
end Of the season Of the gods continue
TO grin upon him. he will unhestatlngy
sign himself "Horatius Forsythe de
Smythe"
But however that may be, Mr.. Miller.
who Is replcte with humorous incidents
dialogues anecdotes. and quaint sayings
Of the darkies. made decided nit III
New York at the first jump. or, as Pro-
f.gsor Puryear would say, "at the first
blush" There isn't a man in Virginia
songs better than Polk. and hence his
success. | once heard fellow say: MIL
Ier Is more like a Niger than any man
| ever saw" and that compliment. though
rather equlvocal, expresses the idea eN-
actly.
When Mr. Miller was IN New York he
fen in with Mark Twain and James
Nhitcomb Riley. and these two famous
literary stars took to him like ducks To
water. Mark and the "Hoosler Poet are
now travelling together, and one night
when they were giving an entertainment
tefore the University CLUB. Clemens
called Poke. who was sitting In box
on the stage. and made him tell som"
OF his stories. The Richmonder brought
down the house mot n brick at time
cther). and since then Polk has been
lion everywhere. When Horace Smith
saw what hit his boss had made he
chuckled with Joy. and some say that
lie even threatened TO set up cherOots
This one little incident shows how easily
public men can sometimes have great
ness thrust upon them" and since then
'he jolly drug dst has been overwhelmed
with offers for engagements. While IN
New York he was the recipient Of many
marked attentions, and toward the last
he got go busy that he was compelled
from lack Of time 10 get Mr.. Smith 10
cat for him-a duty. be II said, which
the ox-physical Instructor cheerfully per
formed. on one occasion Mr.. Miller was
invited 10 a private entertainment, ana
arriving late he found that quite "A crowd
had assembled. and that only one chair
was vacant. Polk very naturally thought
that was intended FOR him. and he forth
with Topped himself into IT, His weight
had hardly touched the soft. yielding
plush when. from an unseen source the
sweetest music began 10 I'LL the room
NsgybOdy r0arcd with laughter and Mr.
Miller, in great amaZement looked every
where for the source Of the melody.
Finally. It dawned upon him that the
chair In which he sat had a music-boX
IN IT, and that on his pressing the but
ton the box did the rest. on another
occasion. just as he started TO sing, and
before he had hardly pronounced three
words. a cuckoo-clock started to strike,
and auUh.ladrI his song completely.
The timepiace went cuckoo cuckoo.
cuckoo" until Polk was forced to lay
down his banjo ana resign.
THE IDLE REPORTER.