AMBROSE BIERCE b. JUNE 24th 1842

nowhere near a great writer himself, you'll find no story greater than bierce's "an occurance at owl creek bridge". at his best, he was a witty misanthrope, seeing & saying clearly what others wouldn't. at his worst, he was a bitter man, unable to understand why he wasn't being listened to. he had the good grace to simply disappear, literally, off the face of the earth, a true gentleman to the end. where ever you are, peace be w/you.

an entry from his the devil's dictionary:
"Eat, v.i.: To perform successively (and successfully) the functions of mastication, humectation, and deglutition. 'I was in the drawing-room, enjoying my dinner,' said Brillat-Savarin, beginning an anecdote. 'What!' interrupted Rochebriant; "eating dinner in a drawing-room?' 'I must beg you to observe, monsieur,' explained the great gastronome, 'that I did not say I was eating my dinner, but enjoying it. I had dined an hour before.'"




The Statesmen

by Ambrose Bierce

How blest the land that counts among
Her sons so many good and wise,
To execute great feats of tongue
When troubles rise.

Behold them mounting every stump,
By speech our liberty to guard.
Observe their courage—see them jump,
And come down hard!

"Walk up, walk up!" each cries aloud,
"And learn from me what you must do
To turn aside the thunder cloud,
The earthquake too.

"Beware the wiles of yonder quack
Who stuffs the ears of all that pass.
I—I alone can show that black
Is white as grass."

They shout through all the day and break
The silence of the night as well.
They'd make—I wish they'd go and make—
Of Heaven a Hell.