The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 7: Miscellaneous — John Shaqi
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 7: MiscellaneousWard, Artemus
General
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 7: Miscellaneous
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
If you see fit to kriticise my Show speak your mind freely. I do
not object to kriticism. Tell the public, in a candid and graceful
article, that my Show abounds in moral and startlin cooriosities,
any one of whom is wuth dubble the price of admission.
I hav thus far spoke of myself excloosivly as a exhibiter.
I was born in the State of Maine of parents. As a infant I
attracted a great deal of attention. The nabers would stand over my
cradle for hours and say, "How bright that little face looks! How
much it nose!" The young ladies would carry me round in their arms,
sayin I was muzzer's bezzy darlin and a sweety 'eety 'ittle ting.
It was nice, tho' I wasn't old enuf to properly appreciate it. I'm
a healthy old darlin now.
I have allers sustained a good moral character. I was never a
Railroad director in my life.
Altho' in early life I did not inva'bly confine myself to truth in
my small bills, I have been gradoolly growin respectabler and
respectabler ev'ry year. I luv my children, and never mistake
another man's wife for my own. I'm not a member of any meetin house,
but firmly bel'eve in meetin houses, and shouldn't feel safe to take
a dose of laudnum and lay down in the street of a village that
hadn't any, with a thousand dollars in my vest pockets.
My temperament is billious, altho' I don't owe a dollar in the
world.
I am a early riser, but my wife is a Presbyterian. I may add that I
am also bald-heded. I keep two cows.
I live in Baldinsville, Indiany. My next door naber is Old Steve
Billins. I'll tell you a little story about Old Steve that will make
you larf. He jined the Church last spring, and the minister said,
"You must go home now, Brothern Billins, and erect a family altar in
your own house," whereupon the egrejis old ass went home and built a
reg'lar pulpit in his sittin room. He had the jiners in his house
over four days.
I am 56 (56) years of age. Time, with its relentless scythe, is
ever busy. The Old Sexton gathers them in, he gathers them in! I
keep a pig this year.
I don't think of anything more, Mr Ed'ter.
If you should giv my portrait in connection with my Bogfry, please
have me ingraved in a languishin attitood, learnin on a marble
pillar, leavin my back hair as it is now.--Trooly yours.
Artemus Ward.
7.3. THE SERENADE.
Things in our town is workin. The canal boat "Lucy Ann" called in
here the other day and reported all quiet on the Wabash. The "Lucy
Ann" has adopted a new style of Binnakle light, in the shape of a
red-headed girl, who sits up over the compass. It works well.
The artist I spoke about in my larst has returned to Philadelphy.
Before he left I took his lily-white hand in mine. I suggested to
him that if he could induce the citizens of Philadelphy to believe
it would be a good idea to have white winder-shutters on their
houses and white door-stones, he might make a fortin. "It's a
novelty," I added, "and may startle 'em at fust, but they may
conclood to adopt it.
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