The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-03
THE DEATH OF BILL NyE.
The Great Humorist is Laid to Rest in the
Mountains of Western North Carolina.

The Great Humorist is Laid to Rest in II
Mountains Of Western North Carolina.
The death of Bill Nye, the celebrate
humorist, which occurred on the 22u
OF February, is lamented tbroughou
the country. The physicians State
that his patient had been in failin,
health for three years, and he was no
surprised at the fatal termination O
the malady. He was buried twelv,
miles south OF Asheville, N. c., nea
Fletcher's.
About fifteen years ago there bega,
to appear in different newspapers cx
tracts which were said to have beer
copied from a paper published a
Laramie, Wyoming, the name O
whl'h was alleged to be The Boom
| erang. The sketches were unique anC
most amusing, but for a long time
many OF those who enjoyed the humol
OF them were very doubtful about the
existence OF a newspaper with such 8
seemingly absurd name. However, IL
oegan TO be understood that new
humor1st had arisen and was located
on the windy uplands of the northwest
and that his newspaper. The Boom.
erang, as we'll as his bumor, was
genuine.
or course it was asked who this
genius OF humor Of the Wyoming up
lands was, and the papers began to
circulate rumor that his name was
Bill Nye, and that he was a relative
Oh man who had won great repute,
not only as statesman, but as a fun
lover and maker, the late United
States Senator. Jim" Nye. OF
course every one wondered whether
the Bill Nye who was writing, with
that spontaneity which is the basis OF
all genuine humor, the Boomerang
sketches was also the Bill Nye whom
Bret Harte had immor talized in his
" Heathen Chinee." Harte's celebrity
had before this been supposed to be a
myth, creature OF his fancy but
there were many persons in the east
who felt sure that Bill Nye of the poem
and the Bill Nye Of Tho Boomerang
could be no other than one and the
same person.
1t was not many months before the
public knew that Bill Nye was q nom
de plume, and that this genius of
humor was baptized Edgar Wilson
Nye.
Inc boomerang was quoted all over
the country, and Nye began to get his
reputation as q humorist of note at
that time. The paper was not a
financial success, but it was the fOunda-
tion for the fortune which Nye after.
ward made as humorist.
Like many humorists, Mr.. Nye was
man of almost womanly gentleness
OF disposition. His amiability was
never clouded, and his good humor
was as spontaneous as it was good
natured. He never forgot friend.
In later years his writings and lectur-
ing brought an income OF over $40, 900
q year, and he leaves a moderate for
tune to his widow and children.
Some of the experiences OF his life
on his famous BUCK Shoal" farm are
among his Quaintest and best efforts.
or his appearance all that is necessary
to say is that he Cooked like his
PICTURES and there /. hardly a man,
woman or child who reads newspapers
who does not know them. Perhaps
the most famous of his humorous
writings was the letter to the president
oil the United States accepting the
at Laramie City. That
letter was commented upon in serious
ness by the London Times, and the
comment was perhaps as funny as the
original letter, when all the circum-
stances are taken in consideration.
Mr.. Nye, unlike most writer's of his
kind, had excellent business aualitica-
tions. He vas a thrifty humorist,"
as one of his friends expressed it.
When be began to write his sketches
for the Boomerang he had no idea that
they would be OF moro than local in
terest, nor in fact did he realize the
humor that was In them or its market
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 it, and would therefore have
pecuniary value.
Mr.. Nye personally was a most
lovable man. He was genial and
kind-hearted, with not the slightest
suggestion Of conceit or "uppishness
in his manner. Few men have had
moro or better friends than he had.
No man was ever moro modest and
unassuming. 1t Is no Justice to him
to say that much OF his success as
writer was duo to the ambition and
encouragement of his wife. Long
before the world knew him she had
told him OF his powers and applauded
his early efforts. She did not with
hold her praise until the food OF his
success came, but in the dark days
when there was an actual struggle for
existence she stood by him, tower Of
strength and an inspiration, her faith
in him never faltering.