The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19
ARTEMUS R HOME. .
Little Maine Village Of Waterford,
Where IIumOrist Was Born.

Waterford. Me. the birthplace and
hOyhood bone Of Artemus Ward. IS
about fifty miles north of Portland and
half a dozen miles from the nearest rail-
way station. Waterford village is a
comfortable. sleepy little place, whose
homes cluster around a small, tree
Swallowed common. The houses are
nearly all wooden. are painted white
and nave green blinds. The village cup
ports two stores and a church.
AT one end of the common is a sign
board. which reads. 10 miles TO Nor
way Other places roundabout are
sweden, Denmark, Paris and Naples"
writes clifton Johnson in the Springfield
Republican Waterford itself has a
runkin street, and What is now Fern
avenue was formerly Skunk alley, and
there is an outlying district called
Blackguard. which took its name from
the character OF the people who used to
live there.
II found the village delightful in its
quiet serenity, and it particularly APP
pealed to the fancy In the evening when
the cows were driven from the outlying
pastures 10 their home stables Ind came
pacing along under the elms Of the COM
mon, while the cowbells hung on their
noCks gave forth a dull toned music. 1t
was "A much livelier place at the time
Charles Farrar Brown. better known as
Artemus Ward. was born there in 1894.
Many emigrants passed through II on
their way TO the West. and the stages
were crowded with passengers in pursuit
Of business or pleasure. The hotels pre-
scented an especially busy scene on the
arrival OF the stage. and the several
stores had n large trade in furnishing
supplies 10 lumbermen. One OF these
stores was kept by Artemus Wards
father, who died in lS47.
The humorist died In 1867. which is
not SO long ago but hat people can be
found in his home region who remember
him distinctly. one of the village
women said to me The place has not
changed a great deal since he was n boy
here. II is about the same size, there is
the same white church. and many Of the
same houses stand around the common.
The old Brown house" where Charles
was born, burned in 1871, but Aunt
Car'liie." as his mother was called i'm
Waterford. had long before moved "a
what had been her fathers house. That
Is here yet, "A substantial. two story
building, under the elms on the borders
Of the common. II II is still owned in
the family.
after Charles had left Waterford
and become famous he usually returned
'N'lN N''A W Fl''Nl az AAAllAAlt Win HIS
mother lie wasn't very strong. lie was
tuhercular. His hands were whittier than
any woman's. almost. They were SINAI
and long, and | recall hearing my fathel
say that Charles couldn't wear brace,
let's because his wrists were as large
as his hands, and the bracelets would
slip on. Father and he we're grea,
cronies. They were wi cousins and
We're said to look alike
Another contemporary of Artemui
Wards whom | met was a STOPPING. eli
derby village man who walked with q
cane, | called at his house in the eve
ming, and I called early because ! hat
been told that he went To bed with IN,
chickens We sat in his kitchen in tn,
gradually increasing dusk Of the twi
light.
Yves. 7 knew Charles Brown h,
said, and I helped lower him into tn,
ground, His body was brought her,
about the beginning OF summer from
England In a metallic casket all sealeC
and soldered up. The casket was GU
open at his mothers request, and we Sc,
1t was Charles inside. There was
funeral at the house, attended by n few
OF the neighbors, and then we went I,
the cemetery at South Waterford. w,
didn't have a hearse. but used a tw,
seated spring wagon, as was the Gus
tom here, BY taking out the seats room
was made for the box. and the drive
would sit up on that. The others wen
In their own teams.
"'When Charles was here on his sum
mer visits he didn't do nothin' excep
have a good time, lie was u lazy critic,
and he would lay round on the grass q
go to ride or do anything he see NJ, !
was a kind OF a restful vacation.
should call It, but after I've went into tn