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
Gentlemen of the editorial corpse, if you would be happy be virtoous! I
who am the emblem of virtoo, tell you so.
(Signed,) "A Ward."
____________________
THE NOBLE RED MAN.
The red man of the forest was form'ly a very respectful person. Justice
to the noble aboorygine warrants me in sayin' that orrigernerly he was a
majestic cuss.
At the time CHRIS. arrove on these shores (I allood to CHRIS. COLUMBUS),
the savajis was virtoous and happy. They were innocent of secession,
rum, draw-poker, and sinfulness gin'rally. They didn't discuss the
slavery question as a custom. They had no Congress, faro banks,
delirium tremens, or Associated Press. Their habits was consequently
good. Late suppers, dyspepsy, gas companies, thieves, ward politicians,
pretty waiter-girls, and other metropolitan refinements, were unknown
among them. No savage in good standing would take postage-stamps.
You couldn't have bo't a coonskin with a barrel of 'em. The female
Aboorygine never died of consumption, because she didn't tie her waist
up in whale-bone things; but in loose and flowin' garments she bounded,
with naked feet, over hills and plains, like the wild and frisky
antelope. It was a onlucky moment for us when CHRIS. sot his foot onto
these 'ere shores. It would have been better for us of the present day
if the injins had given him a warm meal and sent him home ore the
ragin' billers. For the savages owned the country, and COLUMBUS was
a fillibuster. CORTEZ, PIZARRO, and WALKER were one-horse
fillibusters--COLUMBUS was a four-horse team fillibuster, and a large
yaller dog under the waggin. I say, in view of the mess we are makin'
of things, it would have been better for us if cOLUMBUS had staid to
home. It would have been better for the show bisniss. The circulation
of "Vanity Fair" would be larger, and the proprietors would all have
boozum pins! Yes, sir, and perhaps a ten-pin alley.
By which I don't wish to be understood as intimatin' that the scalpin'
wretches who are in the injin bisness at the present day are of any
account, or calculated to make home happy, specially the Sioxes of
Minnesoty, who desarve to be murdered in the first degree, and if POPE
will only stay in St. Paul and not go near 'em HIMSELF, I reckon they
will be.
____________________
ARTEMUS WARD IN RICHMOND.
Richmond, Va.--May, 18 & 65.
OLONZO WARD.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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