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
Durin' the Revolutionary War B. ARNOLD made his way, through dense woods
and thick snows, from Maine to Quebeck, which it was one of the hunkiest
things ever done in the military line. It would have been better if B.
ARNOLD'S funeral had come off immeditly on his arrival there.
On the Plains of Abraham there was onct some tall fitin', and ever since
then there has been a great demand for the bones of the slew'd on that
there occasion. But the real ginooine bones was long ago carried off,
and now the boys make a hansum thing by cartin' the bones of hosses and
sheep out there, and sellin' 'em to intelligent American towerists.
Takin' a perfessional view of this dodge, I must say that it betrays
genius of a lorfty character.
It reminded me of a inspired feet of my own. I used to exhibit a wax
figger of HENRY WILKINS, the Boy Murderer. HENRY had, in a moment of
inadvertence, killed his Uncle EPHRAM and walked off with the old man's
money. Well, this stattoo was lost somehow, and not sposin' it would
make any particler difference I substitooted the full-grown stattoo
of one of my distinguished piruts for the Boy Murderer. One night I
exhibited to a poor but honest audience in the town of Stoneham, Maine.
"This, ladies and gentlemen," said I, pointing my umbrella (that weapon
which is indispensable to every troo American) to the stattoo, "this is
a life-like wax figger of the notorious HENRY WILKINS, who in the dead
of night murdered his Uncle EPHRAM in cold blood. A sad warning to
all uncles havin' murderers for nephews. When a mere child this
HENRY WILKINS was compelled to go to the Sunday-school. He carried no
Sunday-school book. The teacher told him to go home and bring one. He
went and returned with a comic song-book. A depraved proceedin'."
"But," says a man in the audience, "when you was here before your wax
figger represented HENRY WILKINS as a boy. Now, HENRY was hung, and yet
you show him to us now as a full-grown man! How's that?"
"The figger has growd, sir--it has growd," I said.
I was angry. If it had been in these times I think I should have
informed agin him as a traitor to his flag, and had him put in Fort
Lafayette.
I say adoo to Quebeck with regret. It is old-fogyish, but chock-full of
interest. Young gentlemen of a romantic turn of mind, who air botherin'
their heads as to how they can spend their father's money, had better
see Quebeck.
Altogether I like Canady. Good people and lots of pretty girls.
I wouldn't mind comin' over here to live in the capacity of a Duke,
provided a vacancy occurs, and provided further I could be allowed a few
tar-spangled banners, a eagle, a boon of liberty, etc.
Don't think I've skedaddled. Not at all. I'm coming home in a week.
Let's have the Union restored as it was, if we can; but if we can't, I'm
in favor of the Union as it wasn't . But the Union, anyhow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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