Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-12
Bret Marte.s FIRST Book.

Bret l1arte's first book was without that
individual interest which made Twaiu's
name and reputation as Il hlimorist jump
from one end Of the country % the other
with the nimble acrobat!cs Of his Frog"
For he sadly says: MY first book was
not my own. ard contained beyond the
title page not one word oil my own COM
position" The explanation ~ which Is
that the first book mentioned was but
Il compilation of newspaper verses of num-
erous California writers which he did at
the request Of ii San Francisco bookseller,
The book was al iirSt ignored by the crit
les. but finally obtained notice i'll several
California papers which was far from
complimentary. The following. which We
from the worth" city of Red Dog. must
have sent despair to the heart of the
young compiler:
The hogwash and 'purp' stuff ladled
out from the slop-bucket OF MesSrs. Blank
~ Co. of Frisco, by some lopeared East
crn apprentice. and called "A compilation
of California Verse might he passed over.
50 far as criticism goes: A club i'll the
hands of any able-bodied citizen of Red
Dog and 6 steamboat ticket TO the bay,
cheerfully contributed from this office.
ported Sreenhorn dares 10 call his flap
doodle mixture Californian il is an insult
TO the state that has Produced tn" gifted
yellow Hammer whose lofty flights have
from time to time dazZ!ed our readers
in the columns of the Jay Hawk. That
this complacent editorial iackass, browA-
ing among the docks ANA tnlStleS winch he
has served up in this volume. should make
no ailusion to California's greatest bard
is rather Il confession of his idiocy than
a SUR upon the genius of our esteemed
contributor
Notwithstanding this cut and slash crit
icism from the wild and wooily West, the
auction room with the statement that II
was Bret Harte's first book. was sold in
lsa7 for s2i." We advise young aspirants.
therefore. not to lose heart, but cling TO
Sha hone that tho .r,niE.- which To-day
scorns will be coddled and praised by To-
morrow.
Artemus Wards Success.
Artemus Ward was more fortunate with
his first venture. He belongs to that ver-
satile and promiscuuus brotherhood whose
charter members are Byron, Macanlay.
Thomas Edison. Lieutenant Hohson and
himself famous, While working on the
cleveland Plain Dealer he assumed the
nom de plume of Artemus Ward, and the
first letter he wrote under this new name
WAS what made him famous. II was en-
titled 'One of Mr.. Wards business Let
ters.' and as soon as the Plain Dealer
tors in other cities. the letter appeared in
papers from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific
coast Here il is:
To the Editor Of the =
lords your Place, want You should rite
me II letter, sayiu' how is tie show biz
ness IN Your pace. ~ SNOW Il prcstut CONSISTS
OF three moral Bares. a kangaroo Ia aInoo2in' little
Easkaf-iNouli make sou iIri Serseli 10 deth
90 see The little kuss jump w and squeaD. way
frgers OF @. Washington. General Taylor. John Bun
yam, Captain Kidd and iir- Webster in the act
OF KILN DR.. Parlman, besides several miscellany
us moral wax siatopts # celebrated liruts and
murdercrs. etc. ekallti hy f.a ~ ekcrld by mons.
Now. Mr. Editlr. scratch OFF i few lines sa.in' how
Is the show business Iowa To- your place. | shat
have my handnills dun at YOUR once. Depend upon
II. want You should Set my ~hGn1biils up in
famin' stile. Alter get M 4 ternen1IS excitement
in VI. paper 'bowt my oupaTal.ll Show. We must
work on their ferl!ns. cum the moral on 'em
strong IL rs a temperance community tell 'em /
siaed the pledge fifteen min'ts AFTER Use born. but
on III. conterv If your people take their tods, say
Mister Ward Is as jonisi a fcller as We ever met.
full ~ cunw!vIitv a The lie an sole Of the Sus!ll
Bored Take Don't YOU" II YOU say anyth.n abawt
my show say my snaiks Is as HARMLESS as the new
bora babe. Wh4' i !gtcrtstin study II IS 10 see
a neurological sninll lk- i snaik undrr perfeck sub
~jrcshun, Ny kangaroo is the most larfah!e littie
tusa ! ever saw. All TOT II cents | an! anxious to
skeWer your 'uioounce l rrIoe; in regard To them
hsndhills hat shall get EN- struck orr up To YOUR
PriHriu o:.e.. My p~erlltercai sentiments agree win
yuurn cNactly. | know tnry DO. hecavz ! never saw
. man Shoos didn't. Respectively yuies
A. WARD.
p. s.-You scratch nv back & lie scratch your
back.