Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-03-05
EnaAR W. N4E.

lefS Tor the SNnulc3ie by winch he was
regularly employed, writing books and
plays and lecturing. The work was
enough to kill far stronger man. In
addition to his regular syndicate work,
within the last two years he published
history of the United States, which
he often said he wanted TO stand as
the last book ne wrote.
sketch of Nyes Career.
Edgar Willis Nye, or "Bfl'' Nye as he is
much better known to his friends and the
public was born in Shirley. Piscataquis
county, Me, August 25, 1850, but AT the age
of two years, according TO his own story,
he took his parents by the hand and led
them to the west.
They went to Wisconsin, and there, on the
banks of the St Croix river, young Nya
was brought up on a farm. He received an
academical education at FAN River. Wis.
and in 1876 went to Wyoming territory,
where he studied law, and was admitted to
the bar
There, he says, he practiced law in Il
quiet way, although frequently warned
by the authorities not to do So"
He had plenty of leisure time on his
hands, which he used in writing a Sunday
letter for the Cheyenne Sun at the rate of
one dollar column. In one of his humor-
Gus photographed sketches Mr.. Nye
says that that sum, which amounted 10
nearly $50 a year, so dwarfeo his returns
from his law practice that he decided to
take up newspaper writing as a profession.
and accordingly moved to Denver. where
he obtained a position on the staff of the
Denver Tribune
He corresponded from Denver for the
Salt Lake Tribune. Later a new paper
was started in Laramie called the Boom
erang, after favorite mule owneu by AYE.
and which he called Boomerang be-
cause he never knew where it would strike.
AT the time Nye edited the Boomerang ii
was published over livery stable. A
sign on the door instructed callers to
twist the tail OF the gray mule and take
the elevator"
The Boomerang was quoted all over the
country and Nye began to get his reputa-
tion as a humorist of note at that time.
The paper was not financial success but
it was the foundation for the fortune
which Nye afterwards made a humor-
list.
Like many humorists. Mr. Nye was u
man of almost womanly gentleness of dis
position. His amiability was never
clouded, and his good humor was spon-
taneous as 1t was good-natured He never
forgot friend. In later years his writings
and lecturing brought an income OF over
$4,000 year, and he will leave moderate
fortune to his widow and children
Mr.. Nye was married in 1877 to Miss
Fanny Smith, of Chicago. With her and
their children Nye lived happily for a long
time on the banks of the St Croix and
they went sith him to New York cityand
made home bright on Staten Island OF
late years, when he was not going about
the country on lecturing tours, Nye has
passed most of his time at his country
place near this city.
Some of the experiences Of his life on this
farm are among his quaintest and best
efforts. or his appearance all that is
necessary to say is that he looked like his
pictures" and there is hardly a man, WON
an or child who reads newspapers who
does not know them by heart Perhaps
the most famous of his humorous writ
ings was the letter to the president Of the
United States accepting the postmaster
ship at Laramie City That letter was
commented upon in seriousness by the
London Times. and the comment was per.
haps. as funny as the original letter, when
all the circumstances are taken into CON
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