It’s described as the best example of “humour by a Southerner” before the Civil War, but it’s probably no Larry-the-Cable-Guy. And when author Joseph Baldwin was describing “Flush Times” in 1853, it would not have brought to mind the same connotation as today.
Deep South Humour ca. 1853
Some of the first ‘flush’ toilets were installed that year in New York City, and for the rest of the country, the ‘flush times’ were those of abundance. In his book Flush Times of Alabama and Mississippi attorney and author Joseph Baldwin recorded sketches of colorful characters he had encountered. He did so in a humorous vein, without entering the “cable-guy” arena.
The book is old enough that it has jumped into the reprint arena, with digital copies readily available. Original copies, like this one from the pre-Civil War deep South, are somewhat scarce, but in the same price range as a reprint.
This particular copy is currently listed on eBay.
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