The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 2: WarWard, Artemus
General
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 2: War
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"It means," said that remarkable female "that you men air
makin' fools of yourselves. You air willin' to talk and urge
others to go to the wars, but you don't go to the wars
yourselves. War meetin's is very nice in their way, but they
don't keep STONEWALL JACKSON from comin' over to Maryland and
helpin' himself to the fattest beef critters. What we want is
more cider and less talk. We want you able-bodied men to stop
speechifying, which don't 'mount to the wiggle of a sick cat's
tail, and to go fi'tin'; otherwise you can stay to home and
take keer of the children, while we wimin will go to the
wars!"
"Gentl'man," said I, "that's my wife! Go in, old gal!" and I
throw'd up my ancient white hat in perfeck rapters.
"Is this roll-book to be filled up with the names of men or
wimin?" she cried.
"With men--with men!" and our quoty was made up that very
night.
There is a great deal of gas about these war meetin's. A war
meetin', in fact, without gas, would be suthin' like the play
of HAMLET with the part of OTHELLO omitted.
Still believin' that the Goddess of Liberty is about as well
sot up with as any young lady in distress could expect to be,
I am
Yours more'n anybody else's,
A. Ward.
2.6. THE DRAFT IN BALDINSVILLE.
If I'm drafted I shall RESIGN.
Deeply grateful for the onexpected honor thus confered upon me
I shall feel compeld to resign the position in favor of sum
more worthy person. Modesty is what ails me. That's what's
kept me under.
I meanter-say, I shall hav to resign if I'm drafted
everywheres I've bin inrold. I must now, furrinstuns, be
inrold in upards of 200 different towns. If I'd kept on
travelin' I should hav eventooaly becum a Brigade, in which
case I could have held a meetin' and elected myself Brigadeer-
ginral quite unanimiss. I hadn't no idea there was so many of
me before. But, serisly, I concluded to stop exhibitin', and
made tracks for Baldinsville.
My only daughter threw herself onto my boosum, and said, "It
is me fayther! I thank the gods!"
She reads the "Ledger."
"Tip us yer bunch of fives, old faker!" said ARTEMUS, Jr. He
reads the "Clipper."
My wife was to the sowin' circle. I knew she and the wimin
folks was havin' a pleasant time slanderin' the females of the
OTHER sowin' circle (which likewise met that arternoon, and
was doubtless enjoyin' theirselves ekally well in slanderin'
the fust-named circle), and I didn't send for her. I allus
like to see people enjoy theirselves.
My son ORGUSTUS was playin' onto a floot.
ORGUSTUS is a ethereal cuss. The twins was bildin' cob-houses
in a corner of the kitchin'.
It'll cost some postage-stamps to raise this fam'ly, and yet
it 'ud go hard with the old man to lose any lamb of the flock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account