The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17
ARTEMUS WARDS HUMOR.
mrs LETTER TO 4 FRIEND DURING
MS EARLY DAYS IN NEW YORH.

| HIS EARLY DAIb IN NEW IOHA.
Considered Himself "a Lucky Cuss Then
Got on the FREQ List ut the Minstrels
and Circus and Expected to "Fetch the
Theatres"-His Work on Vanity Fair.
LrroHFIRLD, Conn. Sept 16.-Tho contents
Of bundle OF letters, Drowned with age, which
| Artemus Ward Charles Farrar Browne) wrote
To his friend Charles E. Wilson, In the early six
ties show clearly to-day that Browne was full
| OF a quaint humor that bubbled over continually,
whether he was writing for publication or other
wise Mr. Wilson Is now the cashier OF the First
| National Bank OF LtchHeld At the time the
letters were written no the business man aRor
| OF the Cleveland, o.. Pldfrdedier in which very
| many OF the Artemus Ward letters were FIRST
published. Tho Wilson letters cover the period
elapsng from the time Browne left tho PIdtn-
dealer until Just before he went on the road as q
lecturer. After leaving Cleveland he travelled
for a short time In tho central western States,
| at a salary Of S25 a week as the advance agent
OF ono Dodge, "a travelling concert man." whose
abilities TO entertain were 10 inferior TO Brownies
that the latter proved bigger drawing card in
the cities visited than did Dodge himself He
left Dodge upon his arrival at Chicago. After
this he appeared for . night or two on the stage
with Sanford's Mipstrels In Pittsburg whore
he put on tho burnt cork played q noiseless banjo
and with his talks made still another hit
Browne was In reality working his way to Now
York TO endeavor TO carry out his plan Of publish
ing his book Of Ward Letters and Of joining the
editorial STAFF Of Vanity Fotr. Much Of his best
work In the Wards" as he called them. had been
done at very low rate Of compensation. and he had
for some time been duplicating these letters to
Vanity Fair from the PlatndeaIer Office at $40
letter to the disgust Of the OF the newspaper
who, employing Browne as city editor atS1o or Sl2
week. held that the latter had right TO sell his
copy elsewhere
One Of tho early Wilson letters was written In
Chicago on Dec. 22, 1850. II says: Z have cut
loose from the concert business. Wrote Dodge
yesterday that sickness in my family demanded
my immediate presence at home, and came on here
On the cars encountered the Chicago Academy Of
Science, some one hundred ladies and gentlemen
They made an Immense splurgs over me, and elect
ed me an honorary member. 60 to Pittsbure
Monday thence TO New York. You know what
vlndictve devil Dodge Is, and expect he will raise
q Jolly breeze over my leaving him. though can't
SEQ wherein have acted dlshonorably. The folly
the madness Of continuing with him grew every
day more apparent have picked up numerous
good things on my trip ."
Wards next letter 10 dated from tho ot1ce Of
Vanity Fair. on Jan. 2. 1861. He says while
at Philadelphia met Dixie OF Sanford's troupe
who entertained me there, and altogether l never
spent q happier two days. All the railroad faro
l had TO pay between Chicago and New York
was seventy-five cents from Brunswick. N. j.
The conductor 10 that point dead headed me at
the special request Of S. S. Sanford, delineator
Of negro character. In addition 10 this good
luck must mention that Ed Bacon, formerly
OF the &. & p. r. T., and now general ticket agent
at Pittsburg, gave me diamond ring worth $50
49,, l..
Vanity Fair this morning. Good fellows glad
TO see me- Talked ten minutes and made per-
manent engagement at $50 week as one of tho
editors OF the paper. Mr.. Leland is editor in
chief. am to report at 10 o'clock A NJ, and
60 away at $50 z. NJ Am 10 read all the ex-
changes. cut out everything OF which anything
can be made, write what want TO and Wards
when feel like IT. l am told can pick up $40
week or so extra writing for other papers.
Shall board where now ON, the Western Ho-
tel for the present 81 q week with good room
Think can live cheaper than this when i learn
the ropes, but the landlord is particular friend
OF mine and treats me princely. Am already
on the free list at the MINISTRIES and circus. Shall
fetch tho theatres directly.
Il have thus told you all about myself am
certainly a lucky l don't understand II
myself. but 1t is 80. AS soon as get started l
10 know everybody on Broadway in about six
months shall withhold my book for tho pros
ent until the panic subsidies am speaking Of
myself principally in this letter, see, but know
you feel an Interest in my movements, and feel
so elated over my prospects that can't restrain
little self -glorfcation. Give my love TO Lester.
Tell him he's splen' Teller from legal point Of
view. have heard of him in foreign lands,
Won't you have this published in the Plain-
dealeT2
"'Charles F. Browne This gentleman. widely
known the former local editor OF this paper has
at last reached Now York and Joined the editorial
corps OF Vanity Fair "
AT a later date in the winter Browne writes
that his book will positively appear in the spring.
published by Derby s. Judson, No. 49S Broadway,
and unquestionably the best house in tho city
They sent their agent to me almost as soon as
reached the city. From his anxiety to publish
for me am confident be regards the success Of
the book as a sure thing. am all right Get
along Just as easy rolling off log dare
not tell you oil the fine things that have happened
TO me for fear you may think l blow, but Ger
tainly start out under brilliant auspices Instead
OF asking favors they offered to me- This Is
pleasant By the way. Vanity Fair Is set up
by girls, and the printing Office is next TO the edi-
toral Office, They are fine girls, and took three
Of them to Bryant's last night"
Again he says. a few months later: FIJI send
for my trunks soon. Let that slide am now
rooming with the publisher OF V. F., at No 20
East Twenty-eighth street We have a parlor,
bath room, closets, fire, gas. and breakfast sent
TO room for 81 week each mention these
things 30 that If you come on hero by-and-by
you will como to the Office and go home with me-
can keep you like fighting cock for few shil-
lings day. Such beef We get at Crook q
Duh's you never saw since God made you. Tell
Less | got his papers and will write him soon.
lie is your nephew and a ornament to his sex
see people from tho West occasionally. They
come up 10 the office in large numbers sometimes
much TO my qualification. l am glad AIphonsus
is exerting himself. A man ought to for Sc a
week.
Il shall 20 to Fall River Saturday by boat
The factory owners there will probably turn out
and receive me with tho band Give my love to
j. b. Altho' an English wretch he is one Of the
best men over know, and hope he will live 10
~ II IL