Letters and Essays of a Pope by His Holiness Frank C. Hughes Pope of the Bad Lands. Specialist in Politics, Religion, Legal Affairs, Oil wells, Contract Bridge, Blood Pressure, Weight Reduction for Fat Women, and Stove Repairs.
Squirrel Island, Maine: Frank C. Hughes, 1953. First Edition. Softcover. Octavo. 68pp. Stapled in glossy printed wrappers. A collection of polemical letters and essays by Frank C. Hughes (1882-1961) a quite virulently anti-religious (particularly anti-Catholic) atheist and humorist. Following his retirement as a municipal judge in Montana he spent much of his time in Maine, where he took upon himself the mantle of "Pope of the Bad Lands", and would harangue government officials and bureaucrats if he felt they were giving showing undue favour to the "Italian competition" and its followers. According to one account "He demanded (and received ) railroad passes, and, on occasion, would board trains in full pope-like regalia, with the addition of a large watering bucket labeled "Holy Water" and a chemical fire extinguisher. He claimed he was going to put out the fires of Purgatory and then he would work on Hell's. He did just the opposite of the Roman pope. He would excommunicate people and send them to Heaven. He refused to take collections and would kiss your ring." Despite the humorous overlay he was a true believer in his cause, and the letters reveal a deep knowledge of the Bible and the religions he was critiquing and an admiration for Free Thought and the philosophy of Thomas Paine. Loosely inserted is a single sided broadsheet headed "Pope of the Bad Lands. Frank C. Hughes Temporal Emissary of Satan." Covers somewhat marked and grubby, previous owner's blind seal on first two pages, some uneven yellowing to first and last few pages, tear at inner margin of pp. 5 /6. Still overall a G+ copy. Item #59678
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