The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-08
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

"Ah Sin was his name;
 And I shall not deny
 In regard to the same
 What that name might imply
 But his smile, 1t was pensive and child
 like,
 As I frequently remarked to Bill
 Nye,"
 Edgar W. Wye, whose humor reaches as far as the English language, ac- cording to 'Eli Perkins," was some how overlooked by the writer who got out a book on National Humor, for I looked in it in vain for mention of one of my old favorites.
 did not put the verse out of Bret Harte's famous poem, "Plain Language From Truthful James, to call attention to it as the one piece which is known wherever men sit down to a game of cards, but because Edgar W. Nye took his psuedonym from the closing line.
 wonder how many of you remem- Der back as far as 1885, when James Whitcomb Riley, Harry Stilwell Ed wards and Edgar W. Wye made their appearance at the old O'Brien opera house and gave Birmingham several hours of pure joy. will never forget the trio, and if you who read this happen to be in the audience, I am sure you will bear me out that 1t was rare evening.
 Harry Sti11well Edwards was the gentleman of ease who wore dress suit naturally and gracefully. James Whitcomb Riley looked just a bit "dolled up" and seemed to be conscious that he was in evening clothes, but it was the absolute discomfort and awkwardness of Edgar W. Wye, which sent the crowd into paroxyms of unholy laughter. He was the most woe begone and helpless individual that ever saw in the costume de rigor, which is the garb both of diplomats and walters.
 
 The thing that added to the humor of the situation was his frank admis- sion that he felt as uncomfortable and as conspicuous as if he was wearing straight jacket and being exposed in stocks to be made sport of my all who saw him in such a predicam ent It is impossible to describe the scene, for in the first place he was a large man, and his feet and hands both seemed to be so conspicuous that it was agony to see him squirm and apologize for his awkwardness and embarrassment From the moment he walked out on the stage until he left it, he was scream"
 
 About all that I remember of Harry Sti1well Edwards was that he was very much at home in his clothes and read a long story which did not ''get across" as the people sat and listened without interest or enthusiasm; but James whitcomb Riley was a revela- tion and in my opinion one of the most finished comedians I have ever seen or heard. His poems seemed to | take on new life and under the witch- his flexible voice the audience sat en- tranced
 | put tIliS iSoi tQ pc dbOQt fsloill IVY .. U lis strange how things live again in memory. I happened to be in book store and saw a copy of Bill Yves Comic History of the United States. | first published in 1894, and illustrated | by F. Opper. The two were irresista- l ble and so I walked out with the | volume under my arm, once more fall | ing in the presence of a book, for I | have frequently confessed that when I see volume which appeals to my | fancy 1t is as hard for me to leave it as it was for dispomaniac to pass a 1 the inside. I I have always liked gaudy colors. Red is my favorite, but I am also strong on turquoise blue, and when the binding looked as fresh as the body of a Roamer car and besides was splashed in vermillion, I just gloated | over it, and could hardly wait to get | home before I sat down to dive into it's pages to scan the text and glimpse the drawings of the inimitable Opper, who in his time made the life of some of our leading statesmen miserable by his caricatures I am one who be lieves that newspapers would be mighty dry without the cartoons. |
 l I do not think enough attention is paid to publishers in making the bind l ing of book so attractive as to be a good selling point, but the publish CTS of adventure into historical TO- nance were keenly alive to it. Bill himself is showing forth from red, white and blue shield with his bald pate and quill behind his ear, while a little Pilgrim boy and maiden attired l in the costume handed down to us as l Priscilla while sitting in the stocks, is an offender with outstretched feet l and secured hands, while bill tackled l on one of the posts states This is ye punishment of Jotham Mudd for steal | ing a pigge.'
 ] If you are fairly familiar with the early history of your country and can | read between the lines. I advise you to procure a copy of Bill Yves Comic | History of the United States" for | feel sure that in these days when papers are pessimistic, preachers turned into Jeremahs and statesmen rattled, and the public almost hysteri- 1 cal about the nation going to pot" that it will be the proper antidote to l bring one and all back to sanity for the one thing we must not lose in