England from a Back-Window; with Views of Scotland and Ireland
(This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. This text refers to the Bibliobazaar edition.
Life in Danbury: Being a Brief but Comprehensive Record of the Doings of a Remarkable People, Under More Remarkable Circumstances, and Chronicled in a Most Remarkable Manner (Classic Reprint)
(Excerpt from Life in Danbury: Being a Brief but Comprehen...)
Excerpt from Life in Danbury: Being a Brief but Comprehensive Record of the Doings of a Remarkable People, Under More Remarkable Circumstances, and Chronicled in a Most Remarkable Manner
If in its perusal one single (or even married) borrower is made purer and better, and his life made to appear brighter, and his soul lifted up generally, I shall Sincerely rejoice to hear it.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
James Montgomery Bailey was an American journalist who won an ephemeral popularity as the "Dansbury News Man. "
Background
James Montgomery Bailey was born on September 25, 1841 at Albany, New York. His father, a carpenter, died from injuries due to a fall when his son was but two years of age, and three years later (1846) his mother married Daniel Smith, of Rome, New York.
Education
James received a common-school education and served an apprenticeship as carpenter, apparently at Albany; in 1860 he went to Danbury, Connecticut, where he practised this trade for two years.
Career
He then enlisted in company C, 17th Connecticut Volunteers, starting for the South shortly before his twenty-first birthday. He remained in the army three years, being captured at Gettysburg and for two months a prisoner on Belle Isle. Already his special talent had manifested itself. An article written in 1860 was accepted by the New York Sunday Mercury, which continued to print his efforts for over a year. While a soldier he wrote for a Danbury journal humorous sketches of army life.
The war over, Bailey with Timothy Donovan, a printer and fellow soldier, purchased the Danbury Times (1865), conducting it as a Democratic organ. In 1870 they consolidated with it the Jeffersonian, a Republican paper, thus initiating the Danbury News, "an eight-page journal containing statements almost TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE"; and Bailey now assumed the name "The Danbury News Man. " This weekly newspaper soon launched on a career unique in journalistic history. Its circulation of 1, 920 in January 1873, leaped to 30, 000 in September of the same year. It was read and quoted with delight the country over, and even abroad, for years thereafter. The cause was Bailey, who had a faculty for injecting humor into commonplace events or inventing ridiculous situations, and portraying them, sometimes with side-splitting effect, and again with sly humor less hilarious but equally satisfying. Undoubtedly he lightened care in thousands of homes.
This was not through the News alone, but through his books, whereby he gave new life to the products of his pen. Life in Danbury and the Danbury News Man's Almanac (both 1873) were followed by They All Do It (1877), England from a Back Window (1878), Mr. Phillips' Goneness (1879), and The Danbury Boom (1880). The popularity of these publications may be inferred from the fact that 33, 000 copies of his first book sold within eleven weeks. His History of Danbury, Connecticut, appeared after his death. In 1873 he visited California and in 1874 Europe. As usual he saw the merry side of everything - witness his England. In 1876 he appeared as a truly popular lecturer.
(This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)
Religion
He was active in the Baptist Church.
Personality
In appearance he was tall, dignified, and athletic, with handsome face, dark hair and mustache, and mirthful eyes. One of his traits was a liking for dogs; another his aversion to wearing a necktie. His humor was always natural and kindly. He was a close observer of men and things, and wisdom mingled with his drollery. The English amused him, but he admired their real worth. His writings and speech alike abounded with wit. Yet he was a man of mercurial nature, passing suddenly from sunny moods to fits of depression.
Connections
He was married (1866) to Catharine Douglass Stewart of Danbury, who survived him.