The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-29
From a Letter by Henry Watterson, in
the Louisville Courier-Journal:

From Letter by Henry Watterson, in
the Louisville Courier-Journal;
"HEY were merry times. Artemus
Ward was here, only around the
1 corner in Piccadilly over chemist 8
-Kingford--who compounded a tonic TO
help keep the poor fellow alive. In spite
of it he did not last very long. He died
in Southampton. But the Savage club,
where he was the light of q gay COM
pany, has a portrait and retains the tra-
dition. .
No American ever hit London harder.
He wrote for Punch. He lectured in Egyp-
tian hall, his subject being THE Nor
mons" Around the outer walls were hung
billboards which declared that 'if any
of the nobility and gentry fail to under
stand Mr.. Wards jokes, he will take
pleasure In personally calling and explain
ing them" Each ticket bore the inscrip-
! tion, admit the bearer and one WIFE,"
AS the funny, faded panorama which
served for a background rolled slowly
along, Artemus directed the super who
handled it to stop a moment, and, point
ing to a smudge of paint. said: Ladies'
and gentlemen, they are horses. assure
you they are horses. 1t was only this
morning that the artist came to me, and
in a voice trembling with emotion, ex-
claimed Mr. Ward, can conceal 1t from
you no longer. they are horses.
All, we'll day. Egyptian hall its very
self has vanished now.
never come to London that soon or late
this time 1t CHANGED to be soon--my
wandering footsteps do not somehow lead
me to the grave OF another yet more
famous flumorist. Just off Fleet street.
down a narrow alley way. stands the
Temple church, between two walls lone
ly granite coffinfishaped tomb may be
seen. It bears on one side the simple in
scription, ..IIere Lies oliver Goldsmith,
andson the other side, Born November 10,
178; Died April 4, 1774." The spot ex-
hales perfume. 1t is redolent OF refiec-
tion. What a world it recalls.
l was once assaled because l spoke
of Goldsmith as '"rhe beloved vagabond, -
meaning not disrespect to the memory of
the dead, but on the contrary, affectionate
homage. "vagabond" he was in the
gentler sense and beloved he is and will
remain forever, dearest of poets, sweet
est of philosophers most enchanting and
versatile of Irishmen. His lot was sad
enough in life. Perhaps he made 1t So;
perhaps trouble was indigenous to his
genius. His contemporaries told all sorts
of stories at his expense. Macaulay act
ually records and would have us believe
that in writing his history of Greece he
was nearly hoaxed into making Alexander
fight battle with Montezuma--a pafpable
and very poor joke! Yet he worked hard
and was not unpunctual with his copy.
When he died Burke grieved and Reynolds
sighed; but DR.. Johnson--rest his bonesi-
wept teams of real grief.
Though Goldsmith wrote like an angel
and talked like poor Paul." as Garricl
said of him, there must have been much
to love in his ugly mug and halting
speech, and assuredly, he kept mighty fine
company. There must have been also
something to trust, for he left R20OO--
SIC, 0,000-of Indebtedness, mainly for money
advanced upon promised work. fancy
his publishers did not suffer in the rem
dering of the final account. 1t Is related
that being asked by his doctor il there
was any trouble on his mind, his last
words were, "Yes, there is" meaning, no
doubt, his unfulfilled writing contracts,
for there has never been an intimation
| against his personal integrity.
/ wonder IL, when he lay struggling for