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Oliver Herford

I lived from 1863-1935.

Oliver Herford (1863 - 1935) was a British born American writer, artist and illustrator who has been called "The American Oscar Wilde". As a frequent contributor to The Mentor, Life, and Ladies' Home Journal, he sometimes signed his artwork as "O Herford". In 1906 he wrote and illustrated the "Little Book of Bores". He also wrote short poems like "The Chimpanzee" and "The Hen", as well as writing and illustrating "The Rubaiyat of a Persian Kitten" (1904) and "Excuse It Please" (1930). His sister Beatrice Herford was also a humorist.

Ethel Mumford and Addison Mizner wrote a small book "The Cynic's Calendar...of 1903" as a Christmas present and added Herford's name as an author as a joke. The printer made up more copies to sell and to everyone's surprise it was an astounding success. When Herford found out about it he wanted 90% of the royalties. He was awarded an equal third.

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  • Japanesque
    Oh, where the white quince blossom swings
    I love to take my Japan ease!
    10 lines, 4 comments
  • The Elf And The Dormouse
    Under a toadstool crept a wee Elf, 
    Out of the rain to shelter himself. 
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  • A Song Of A Heart
    Upon a time I had a Heart,
    And it was bright and gay;
    13 lines, 1 comment
  • Song
    Gather Kittens while you may,
    Time brings only Sorrow;
    3 lines
  • The Hippopotamus
    "Oh, say, what is this fearful, wild,
    Incorrigible cuss?"
    11 lines
  • The Shadow Kitten
    There’s a funny little kitten that tries to look like me,
    But though I’m round and fluffy, he’s as flat as flat can be;
    7 lines
  • The Golden Cat
    Great is the Golden Cat who treads
    The Blue Roof Garden o’er our heads,
    15 lines
  • The Game
    Watching a ball on the end of a string,
    Watching it swing back and to,
    11 lines
  • The Dog
    The Dog is black or white or brown
    And sometimes spotted like a clown.
    19 lines
  • A Penguin
    THE Pen-guin sits up-on the shore
    And loves the lit-tle fish to bore;
    7 lines
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