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
My success was skaly, and I likewise had a narrer scape of my life.
If what I've bin threw is "Suthren hosspitality," 'bout which we've
hearn so much, then I feel bound to obsarve that they made two much of
me.
They was altogether two lavish with their attenshuns.
I went amung the Seseshers with no feelins of annermosity.
I went in my perfeshernal capacity.
I was actooated by one of the most Loftiest desires which can swell the
human Buzzum, viz.:--to giv the peeple their money's worth, by showin
them Sagashus Beests, and Wax Statoots, which I venter to say air
onsurpast by any other statoots anywheres.
I will not call that man who sez my statoots is humbugs a lier and a
hoss thief, but bring him be4 me and I'll wither him with one of my
scornful frowns.
But to proseed with my tail.
In my travels threw the Sonny South I heared a heap of talk about
Seceshon and bustin up the Union, but I didn't think it mounted to
nothin.
The politicians in all the villages was swearin that Old Abe (sometimes
called the Prahayrie flower) shouldn't never be noggerated.
They also made fools of theirselves in varis ways, but as they was
used to that I didn't let it worry me much, and the Stars and Stripes
continued for to wave over my little tent.
Moor over, I was a Son of Malty and a member of several other Temperance
Societies, and my wife she was a Dawter of Malty, an I sposed these fax
would secoor me the infloonz and pertectiun of all the fust families.
Alas! I was dispinted.
State arter State seseshed and it growed hotter and hotter for the
undersined.
Things came to a climbmacks in a small town in Alabamy, where I was
premtorally ordered to haul down the Stars & Stripes.
A deppytashun of red-faced men cum up to the door of my tent ware I
was standin takin money (the arternoon exhibishun had commenst, an'
my Italyun organist was jerkin his sole-stirrin chimes.) "We air cum,
Sir," said a millingtary man in a cockt hat, "upon a hi and holy mishun.
The Southern Eagle is screamin threwout this sunny land--proudly and
defiantly screamin, Sir!"
"What's the matter with him?" sez I; "don't his vittles sit well on his
stummick?"
"That Eagle, Sir, will continner to scream all over this Brite and
tremenjus land!"
"Wall, let him scream. If your Eagle can amuse hisself by screamin, let
him went!" The men anoyed me, for I was Bizzy makin change.
"We are cum, Sir, upon a matter of dooty--"
"You're right, Capting. It's every man's dooty to visit my show," said
I.
"We air cum--"
"And that's the reason you are here!" sez I, larfin one of my silvery
larfs. I thawt if he wanted to goak I'd giv him sum of my sparklin
eppygrams.
"Sir, you're inserlent.
The plain question is, will you haul down the Star-Spangled Banner, and
hist the Southern flag!"
"Nary hist!" Those was my reply.
"Your wax works and beests is then confisticated, & you air arrested as
a Spy!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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