The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 7: MiscellaneousWard, Artemus
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The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 7: Miscellaneous
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"Wall," continued the capting of the Kickin Warier. "Wilyim got a
little owly the tother day, and got to prancin around town on that
old white mare of his'n, and bein in a playful mood, he rid up in
front of the Court 'us whar old Judge Perkins was a holdin Court,
and let drive his rifle at him. The bullet didn't hit the Judge at
all; it only jes whizzed parst his left ear, lodgin in the wall
behind him; but what d'ye spose the old despot did? Why, he
actooally fined Bill ten dollars for contempt of Court! What do
you think of that?" axed the capting of the Warier, as he parst a
long black bottle over to our capting.
"The country is indeed in danger!" said our capting, raisin the
bottle to his lips. The wessels parted. No other incidents that
day. Retired to my chased couch at 5 minits parst 10.
Wensdy.--Riz arly. Wind blowin N.W.E. Hevy sea on, and ship rollin
wildly in consekents of pepper-corns havin been fastened to the
forrerd hoss's tale. "Heave two!" roared the capting to the man at
the rudder, as the Polly giv a friteful toss. I was sick, an sorry
I'd cum. "Heave two!" repeated the capting. I went below. "Heave
two!" I hearn him holler agin, and stickin my hed out of the cabin
winder, I HEV.
The hosses became docile eventually, and I felt better. The sun
bust out in all his splender, disregardless of expense, and lovely
Natur put in her best licks. We parst the beautiful village of
Limy, which lookt sweet indeed, with its neat white cottages,
Institoots of learnin and other evijences of civillizashun,
incloodin a party of bald heded cullered men was playing 3 card
monty on the stoop of the Red Eagle tavern. All, all was food for
my 2 poetic sole. I went below to breakfast, but vittles had lost
their charms. "Take sum of this," said the Capting, shovin a bottle
tords my plate. "It's whisky. A few quarts allers sets me right
when my stummick gits out of order. It's a excellent tonic!" I
declined the seductive flooid.
Thursdy.--Didn't rest well last night on account of a uprore made by
the capting, who stopt the Bote to go ashore and smash in the
windows of a grosery. He was brought back in about a hour, with his
hed dun up in a red handkercher, his eyes bein swelled up orful, and
his nose very much out of jint. He was bro't aboard on a shutter by
his crue, and deposited on the cabin floor, the passenjers all risin
up in their births pushing the red curtains aside & lookin out to
see what the matter was. "Why do you allow your pashuns to run away
with you in this onseemly stile, my misgided frend?" said a sollum
lookin man in a red flannel nite-cap. "Why do you sink yourself to
the Beasts of the field?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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