The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition) — John Shaqi
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)Ward, Artemus
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The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"No, morra," sez I, "this is a Nashunal day. The glory of this here day
isn't confined to Baldinsville by a darn site. On yonder woodshed," sed
I, drawin myself up to my full hite and speakin in a show-actin voice,
"will I fire a Nashunal saloot!" sayin whitch I tared myself from her
grasp and rush to to the top of the shed whare I blazed away until
Square Baxter's hired man and my son Artemus Juneyer cum and took me
down by mane force.
On returnin to the Kitchin I found quite a lot of people sealed be4 the
fire, a talkin the event over. They made room for me & I sot down.
"Quite a eppisode," sed Docter Jordin, litin his pipe with a red-hot
coal.
"Yes," sed I, "2 eppisodes, waying abowt 18 pounds jintly."
"A perfeck coop de tat," sed the skoolmaster.
"E pluribus unum, in proprietor persony," sed I, thinking I'd let him
know I understood furrin langwidges as well as he did, if I wasn't a
skoolmaster.
"It is indeed a momentious event," sed young Eben Parsuns, who has been
2 quarters to the Akademy.
"I never heard twins called by that name afore," sed I, "but I spose
it's all rite."
"We shall soon have Wards enuff," sed the editer of the Baldinsville
Bugle of Liberty, who was lookin over a bundle of exchange papers in the
corner, "to apply to the legislator for a City Charter?"
"Good for you, old man!" sed I; "iv that air a conspickius place in the
next Bugle."
"How redicklus," sed pretty Susan Fletcher, coverin her face with her
knittin work & larfin like all possest.
"Wall, for my part," sed Jane Maria Peasley, who is the crossest old
made in the world, "I think you all act like a pack of fools."
Sez I, "Mis. Peasly, air you a parent?"
Sez she, "No, I aint."
Sez I, "Mis. Peasly, you never will be."
She left.
We sot there talkin & larfin until "the switchin hour of nite, when
grave yards yawn & Josts troop 4th," as old Bill Shakepire aptlee
obsarves in his dramy of John Sheppard, esq, or the Moral House Breaker,
when we broke up & disbursed.
Muther & children is a doin well; & as Resolushuns is the order of the
day I will feel obleeged if you'll insurt the follerin--
Whereas, two Eppisodes has happined up to the undersined's house, which
is Twins; & Whereas I like this stile, sade twins hero of the male
perswashun & both boys ; there4 Be it Resolved, That to them nabers who
did the fare thing by sade Eppisodes my hart felt thanks is doo.
Resolved, That I do most hartily thank Engine Ko. No. 17, who, under the
impreshun from the fuss at my house on that auspishus nite that thare
was a konflagration goin on, kum galyiantly to the spot, but kindly
refraned frum squirtin.
Resolved, That frum the Bottum of my Sole do I thank the Baldinsville
brass band fur givin up the idea of Sarahnadin me, both on that great
nite & sinse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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