The Genial Showman
by Edward Peron Hingston

Reminiscences of the life of humorist Artemus Ward (Charles Farrar Browne) and pictures of a showman's career in the Western world.

A wonderful account of show business by the example of the humorist Artemus Ward during the 19th century. In particular, it describes how performers had to travel through the US during the 1860s, how they had to advertise and promote their shows, including the characters they encountered and the situations they had to master.

For conjurers most interesting is chapter 25: Spiritualism And Conjuring. This tells of how Hingston and Browne helped a conjurer by writing advertisements and showbills for him. The conjurer is not identified by name, but it was Dr. Lynn. Even the modus operandi of a few tricks are revealed.

The author Edward P. Hingston was much involved in promoting and managing magicians including John Henry Anderson, the "Wizard of the North", Robert Heller, and Dr. Lynn aka Simmons.

• OVERTURE
• CHAPTER I. An Introduction To The Showman.
• CHAPTER II. Enjoying "The Honeymoon," And Visiting "The Infernal Regions."
• CHAPTER III. The Ohio River - A Showman Afloat.
• CHAPTER IV. Louisville - Among Panoramas And Minstrels.
• CHAPTER V. Maine - The Home Of The Humorist.
• CHAPTER VI. Cleveland - How Mr. Charles Browne Became Artemus Ward."
• CHAPTER VII. New York - The Verdict In The Cellar.
• CHAPTER VIII. The United States - Lectures And The Lecturing System.
• CHAPTER IX. New York - Babes In The Wood At Clinton Hall.
• CHAPTER X. Washington And Philadelphia - An Embalmer's Workshop - Sixty Minutes Of Africa In The City Of Brotherly Love.
• CHAPTER XI. Across The Continent - A Strange Telegram - The Babes Transformed Into Ghosts.
• CHAPTER XII. The Atlantic Ocean - Showmen On The Sea.
• CHAPTER XIII. The Isthmus Of Panama - Showmen In The Tropics.
• CHAPTER XIV. Panama - The Laocoon At Santa-Fe De Bogota.
• CHAPTER XV. Poker And Euchre On The Pacific.
• CHAPTER XVI. Coffee-Trays And Cigar-Cases In Mexico - The Showman At Acapulco.
• CHAPTER XVII. Landing The Show In California.
• CHAPTER XVIII. Waking The Echoes In San Francisco.
• CHAPTER XIX. San Francisco From A Showman's Point Of View.
• CHAPTER XX. The Echoes Wake And Reply - Comedy And Tragedy At The El Dorado.
• CHAPTER XXI. Trotting Out The Babes Beside The Pacific.
• CHAPTER XXII. A Dance On A Floor Of Gold, And Experiences Of Chinese Theatricals.
• CHAPTER XXIII. The Genial Showman In Strange Places.
• CHAPTER XXIV. The Warm-Hearted People Of Santa Clara.
• CHAPTER XXV. Spiritualism And Conjuring.
• CHAPTER XXVI. In The Capital Of California.
• CHAPTER XXVII. The Show In Sight Of The Sierra.
• CHAPTER XXVIII. Among The Gold Mines With Our "Babes."
• CHAPTER XXIX. With Our Faces Towards The Mormons.
• CHAPTER XXX. The Show In Silver-Land.
• CHAPTER XXXI. Straight To The "Saints" Of Utah.
• CHAPTER XXXII. Safe In Salt Lake City.
• CHAPTER XXXIII. Inside The Mormon Hotel.
• CHAPTER XXXIV. The Church In The Theatre And The Theatre In The Church.
• CHAPTER XXXV. Looking Down Upon The Mormons.
• CHAPTER XXXVI. Prisoners In Salt Lake City.
• CHAPTER XXXVII. Among The Ladies Of Salt Lake.
• CHAPTER XXXVIII. The Show Opens In New York.
• CHAPTER XXXIX. In London - The Fall Of The Curtain.

1st edition 1870, PDF 288 pages.
word count: 147802 which is equivalent to 591 standard pages of text