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printer's 〃devil〃 is generally subjected。 He always kept his
temper； and his eccentric boy jokes are even now told by the
residents of Skowhegan。
In the spring； after his fifteenth birthday； Charles Browne bade
farewell to the 〃Skowhegan Clarion；〃 and we next hear of him in
the office of the 〃Carpet…Bag；〃 edited by B。P。 Shillaber （〃Mrs。
Partington〃）。 Lean； lank； but strangely appreciative； young
Browne used to 〃set up〃 articles from the pens of Charles G。
Halpine （〃Miles O'Reilly〃） and John G。 Saxe； the poet。 Here he
wrote his first contribution in a disguised hand； slyly put it
into the editorial box； and the next day disguised his pleasure
while setting it up himself。 The article was a description of a
Fourth of July celebration in Skowhegan。 The spectacle of the
day was a representation of the battle of Yorktown； with G。
Washington and General Horace Cornwallis in character。 The
article pleased Mr。 Shillaber； and Mr。 Browne； afterwards
speaking of it； said： 〃I went to the theatre that evening； had a
good time of it； and thought I was the greatest man in Boston。〃
While engaged on the 〃Carpet…Bag；〃 the subject of our sketch
closely studied the theatre and courted the society of actors and
actresses。 It was in this way that he gained that correct and
valuable knowledge of the texts and characters of the drama；
which enabled him in after years to burlesque them so
successfully。 The humorous writings of Seba Smith were his
models； and the oddities of 〃John Phoenix〃 were his especial
admiration。
Being of a roving temper Charles Browne soon left Boston； and；
after traveling as a journeyman printer over much of New York and
Massachusetts； he turned up in the town of Tiffin； Seneca County；
Ohio； where he became reporter and compositor at four dollars per
week。 After making many friends among the good citizens of
Tiffin； by whom he is remembered as a patron of side shows and
traveling circuses； our hero suddenly set out for Toledo； on the
lake； where he immediately made a reputation as a writer of
sarcastic paragraphs in the columns of the Toledo 〃Commercial。〃
He waged a vigorous newspaper war with the reporters of the
Toledo 〃Blade；〃 but while the 〃Blade〃 indulged in violent
vituperation； 〃Artemus〃 was good…natured and full of humor。 His
column soon gained a local fame and everybody read it。 His fame
even traveled away to Cleveland； where； in 1858； when Mr。 Browne
was twenty…four years of age； Mr。 J。W。 Gray of the Cleveland
〃Plaindealer〃 secured him as local reporter； at a salary of
twelve…dollars per week。 Here his reputation first began to
assume a national character and it was here that they called him
a 〃fool〃 when he mentioned the idea of taking the field as a
lecturer。 Speaking of this circumstance while traveling down the
Mississippi with the writer； in 1865； Mr。 Browne musingly
repeated this colloquy：
WISE MAN：〃Ah！ you poor foolish little girlhere is a dollar
for you。〃
FOOLISH LITTLE GIRL：〃Thank you； sir； but I have a sister at
home as foolish as I am； can't you give me a dollar for her？〃
Charles Browne was not successful as a NEWS reporter； lacking
enterprise and energy； but his success lay in writing up in a
burlesque manner well…known public affairs like prize…fights；
races； spiritual meetings； and political gatherings。 His
department became wonderfully humorous； and was always a favorite
with readers； whether there was any news in it or not。 Sometimes
he would have a whole column of letters from young ladies in
reply to a fancied matrimonial advertisement； and then he would
have a column of answers to general correspondents like this：
VERITAS：Many make the same error。 Mr。 Key； who wrote the 〃Star
Spangled Banner；〃 is not the author of Hamlet； a tragedy。 He
wrote the banner business； and assisted in 〃The Female Pirate；〃
BUT DID NOT WRITE HAMLET。 Hamlet was written by a talented but
unscrupulous man named Macbeth； afterwards tried and executed for
〃murdering sleep。〃
YOUNG CLERGYMAN：Two pints of rum； two quarts of hot water； tea…
cup of sugar； and a lemon； grate in nutmeg； stir thoroughly and
drink while hot。
It was during his engagement on the 〃Plaindealer〃 that he wrote；
dating from Indiana； his first communication；the first
published letter following this sketch； signed 〃Artemus Ward〃 a
sobriquet purely incidental； but borne with the 〃u〃 changed to an
〃a〃 by an American revolutionary general。 It was here that Mr。
Browne first became； IN WORDS； the possessor of a moral show
〃consisting of three moral bares； the a kangaroo （a amoozing
little rascal； 'twould make you larf yourself to death to see the
little kuss jump and squeal）； wax figures of G。 Washington； &c。
&c。〃 Hundreds of newspapers copied this letter； and Charles
Browne awoke one morning to find himself famous。
In the 〃Plaindealer〃 office； his companion； George Hoyt； writes：
〃His desk was a rickety table which had been whittled and gashed
until it looked as if it had been the victim of lightning。 His
chair was a fit companion thereto；a wabbling； unsteady affair；
sometimes with four and sometimes with three legs。 But Browne
saw neither the table； nor the chair； nor any person who might be
near； nothing； in fact； but the funny pictures which were
tumbling out of his brain。 When writing； his gaunt form looked
ridiculous enough。 One leg hung over the arm of his chair like a
great hook； while he would write away； sometimes laughing to
himself； and then slapping the table in the excess of his mirth。〃
While in the office of the 〃Plaindealer；〃 Mr。 Browne first
conceived the idea of becoming a lecturer。 In attending the
various minstrel shows and circuses which came to the city； he
would frequently hear repeated some story of his own which the
audience would receive with hilarity。 His best witticisms came
back to him from the lips of another who made a living by quoting
a stolen jest。 Then the thought came to him to enter the lecture
field himself； and become the utterer of his own witticismsthe
mouthpiece of his own jests。
On the 10th of November； 1860； Charles Browne； whose fame；
traveling in his letters from Boston to San Francisco； had now
become national； grasped the hands of his hundreds of New York
admirers。 Cleveland had throned him the monarch of mirth； and a
thousand hearts paid him tributes of adulation as he closed his
connection with the Cleveland Press。
Arriving in the Empire City； Mr。 Browne soon opened an engagement
with 〃Vanity Fair；〃 a humorous paper after the manner of London
〃Punch；〃 and ere long he succeeded Mr。 Charles G。 Leland as
editor。 Mr。 Charles Dawson Shanly says： 〃After Artemus Ward
became sole editor； a position which he held for a brief period；
many of his best contributions were given to the public； and；
whatever there was of merit in the columns of 〃Vanity Fair〃 from
the time he assumed the editorial charge； emanated from his pen。〃
Mr。 Browne himself wrote to a friend： 〃Comic copy is what they
wanted for 〃Vanity Fair。〃 I wrote some and it killed it。 The
poor paper got to be a conundrum； and so I gave it up。〃
The idea of entering the field as a lecturer now seized Mr。