The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-26
LARAMIE FAMOUS
 THROUGH BILL ME Little Wyoming Town Where Humorist Got His Start MADE THE PEOPLE LAUGH Although It Was Dangerous to h. dulee in Personalities in Those
 Days-Nye Did Not Get
 Into Trouble.
MADE THE PEOPLE LAUGH

shown the university and other buildings which give pride to the local resident, but he Is pretty sure to ask: By the way isn't Bill Yves newspaper office around here somewhere?" Then the Laramie res public institutions and pilot the visitor around to the quiet street where fronts the blacksmith shop that was once the Laramie Boomerang office. The Boomer ang is still leading lively existence. but 1t is on another street and in far bet ter office than Nye ever dreamed of when he put up the famous sign. reading: Pull the mules tale and take the elevator"
 There died in Laramie recently the man who was credited with knowing more about Bill Yves early career than any other individual. He was J. H. Hayford a pioneer editor and judge of Wyoming. Judge Hayford was the owner of the Laramie Sentinel when, in 1876, the popu- lation of the Wyoming settlement was in creased by the addition of tall, pleasant faced chap. who did not know exactly what he wanted to do, but concluded Wyoming would be d good place to start something. Besides being tall. Nye was awkward, and he had strangely mated eyes, one being blue and the other hazel.
 To his new friends in Laramie-and he made friends with a rapidity that is still the talk of the town-he remarked that one blue eye and one hazel eye could be nothing short of the distinguishing mark of genius. Few of those who laughed at this jest ever thought any truth lurked in the remark, and probably the modest Nye was least of all inclined to think he had uttered q fact.
 Got Job on Sentinel.
 Nye was given a job on the Sentinel under Judge Hayford. The judge himself was a first-cass editorial paragrapher, something that usually calls for a saving sense of humor and he could appreciate the value of Yves work. The local stories that Nye turned out began to con- vulse Laramie, and people began to look for the Sentinel to see what the new re- porter was saying.
 distinguishing characteristic of Yves humor then, as in later years, was his faculty of writing stlngless jests. Not a line that Bill Wye ever wrote could give pain to any individual-unless that pain came from excessive laughing If there was any abuse to be heaped, Nye always heaped it on himself, and liberally.
 ''It is lots funnier to call yourself names he said. "and besides it's a lot HtdllHleT III wyoming.
 The Wyoming of those days was a poor place for a journalist who indulged in fippant personalities, for when the state was in its territorial youth the revolver made all men equal and it was hardly safe to poke fun at a man unless you were ready to poke a gun at him after ward. But Nye never had any trouble with the Wyoming residents, who were Sudden and quick in quarrel" He wrote 1c' nd had t1,a -irrtI ofa ing them copied in other Wyoming pa pers, and one day, inspired by the thought that perhaps his humor might be appre- ciated outside the confines of the terri tory. he sent n letter to the Denver Tribune
 Yves letter to the Denver paper marked the turning point of his career. The let ter Is preserved in the files of the old Tribune to this day. It Is rambling. gossipy account of affairs In Wyoming, and every other line as the press notices say of a new book, Is good for a hearty laugh. The Denver Tribune was at that time conducted by a brilliant coterie.
 A Brilliant coterie.
 There was Eugene Field, who was doing paragraphs and poems; r. J. V. Skiff, recently director of exhibits of the Louisiana Purchase exposition; r. J. Rothacker, a short lived genius whose work was attracting national attention when he died; E. D. Cowan, Fields clos est friend, and F. o. Dickensheets, a thorough newspaper man. These men in- stanly recognized the value of Bill Yves copy" Negotiations were opened with the humorlst at Laramie for a weekly letter from Wyoming, treating affairs in the territory in the same spirit.
 The Nye letters made an instantaneous hit. Their appeal seemed universal. It is
 fao tl,,. Mi. office used to fight for the privilege of getting a Bill Nye take" off the hook when the humorist's copy was sent up to the composing room. The letters were stolen right and left, and soon negotia- tions were opened with Wye by an eastern newspaper. the humorist being offered a salary which took his breath away.
 When Nye decided to leave Laramie ha friends at Denver gave him a banquet which Is still talked of in the newspaper circles of that city. w. l.. Visscher, who afterward achieved some fame along the lines followed by Nye and Field. was the toastmaster and introduced Nye. Cowan spoke of "The Denver Press" and other journalists talked shop The guest of the evening was assigned the subject "Wyoming." and it was expected that he would deliver a warm tribute in praise to the territory he loved so we'll But. instead of launching forth Into fiowery speech on the subject of Wyoming 1 beauty and greatness, Nye drew forth . thick pamphlet devoted to statistics and proceeded, with great solemnity, to quote figures by the yard At first the ban queters were puzzled, and then the joke dawned on them, and they admitted that their guest from Wyoming had scored a clever beat" This banquet lasted until far Into the morning. Even when Nye had been escorted to his room at the old Windsor hotel the funmaking did not cease.
 Field Lined Up Banqueters.
 Field formed line of the banqueters and marched them back to the hotel. Then one after another. the cards of the party were sent up to Nye, who had tumbled into bed and had Just begun to sleep. Nye tried to bribe the bell boy to let him alone. and the he tried cajolery and threats. but all in vain. Finally he gave up and confessed that he was beaten. He dressed and came down stairs and the fun went on untiI noon.
 At this banquet John E. Leet, a Dem yer newspaper man. prophesied that Flu gene Field, then practically unknown, would achieve fame equal to that of Wye.
 Nye never forgot his friends in Laramie life fin the little town was pleasant, de- spite the fact that much of the time he had to struggle against poverty. He was a social favorite and he and his clever and pretty wife figured at many enter