The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-09
From the Portland CMe9 Express.

 lP1 the town, Waterford, Me, es- 4 pecially to those of middle age in the eos owes it's distinction to being the birthplace and early home Of Charies Farrar Brown, (Artemus Ward) who as a humorist was known from Maine to California. He was born in 1884, son or Levi and Caroline Farrar) Brown. and died in Southampton, England, In lSo' Al an early age he left the paternal roof and learned the printers trade at Norway' Me. an adjacent town, where his gift of humor began to manifest itself
 Of a rowing disposition he soon left The Advertiser and worked for time at Slkowhegan and Gardiner in this state and later drifted to Boston, where he ob- tained situation in the composing room of The Carpet Bag. a humorous psper published by B. F. Shillaber (Mrs, Part ington) While employed at this office he wrote his first pretentious article, wfich, unsigned, he slipped under the door of the "sanctum," being later high ly pleased to see the copy come into the composing room to be set up; he contrib uted other articles which were well re- eeived, but the paper not being con- tinued success, he again drifted, and this time brought up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He then went to a town in Kentucky, where he taught school one week.
 After other wanderings we find him engaged on The Toledo Commercial as a market reporter. It was on this paper that his work as a writer really com menced. He afterward filled for time the position of city editor of The Cleve- land Plain Dealer; this office he filled with marked ability, his lovely and genial disposition making friends with all with whom he came in contact.
 There is today an Artemus Ward club in Cleveland, composed exclusively of newspaper men, where his memory is kept green by his old associates. Leav- ing Cleveland we next find him in New York. having selected the metropolis from the numerous calls that came to him, for now his fame as wit and humorist was we'll established.
 He accepted an engagement a writer for Vanity Fair one of the earliest week ly humorous papers of note in the coun- try, and soon became it's managing edi- tor; but the country was not ready to accept such publications, and 1t passed out of existence. It was here that he published his first book, which had a large circulation.
 Later, having decided to mount the ros- trum. he wrote his first lecture, "The Babes in the Woods toured the country with it, making a brilliant success. The particular joke was the title of the lec- ture, for there was not the first alluson to the Babes throughout the entire screed.
 The manner Of Artemus on the stage caused as much amusement as the matter in hand, as he had that droll expression os being entirely oblivious of what he was talking about.
 Travelling west he had found himself and his Babes in that then far away country, Salt Lake City. Here he was favorably received by Brlngham Young and his numerous household His lecture was largely attended. and he was given the freedom of the city, whatever that implies.
 Artemus was a good advertiser fully equal to the best of our advanced age, When he appeared for the first time ir, Boston, almost wholly unknown, he papered the city with handbiIls as fol- lows:s
 "Artemus Ward will speak piece," not even mentioning time or place. Later ii his wonderful career, his poster pro claimed the following announcement:
 "A. WARD HAS LECTURED BEFORE THE CROWNED HEADS OF
 EUROPE
 ever thought of lecturing.'
 The next important venture was his panorama and lecture upon the Mormons, which in the course of his travels he delivered at Bryan Hall. Chicago, be- fore an audience of over 5000 people. In Jsnuary 1865 he lectured for one week at the Melodian in Boston to we'll filled houses. The programme was a sheet of four pages containing descriptive scenes in his panorama and genuine bits of hu- nor. We append a few as sample of the whole:
 ..Washoe, the Siiverland-Virginia City, game abundant particularly poker
 .'The Desert-In the act of howling. Wild goats abound on the desert, how ever; their kids are white. and ArteIaus