The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-04-13


political discussions or theological contrc.
v,rsies. We do not nean those practical
j,kes, which, in the hands Of the sklful
strategist, pick up innocent Editors and
sell them numerically, causing conscious
ness of verdancy to steal over their mortal
frames and making them almost swear they
will never again ask question: we regard
these as inhuman, and on various occasions
1t has been our fate to waste dollar or too
in the way of refreshments in order to
quiet the examinations Of party assembled
on purpose to witness our introduction to
an unsupported trap. True we have got
nearly even on this species of cruelty-a
late instance albut balancing our account
in this mode Of selling-but the practice
Of narrating wonderful prefaces so as to
cxtort honest questions, to be answered by
some nonsensical catch word, is very bad,
and VIC request our readers Ito reform it
altogether"
Jokes proper are-well we hardly
know how to define one, but when we can
''see it," it always gives US pleasure
Jokes are things that tickle people: This is
as good as we can do on defini,ion-Web-
ster and Worcester both being cut of reach
at this moment. Mr.. Lincoln makes JOKES ;
Prentice is joke maker; Bcecher jokes !;
and where the reputation Of the manufac.
turer stands high, as in these instances, the
laugh of an approaching public is always
much louder; the tickle is mucimore in.
tense, than in cases where the patentee of
a joke is humble. When the Chief Magis.
trate condescends to joke-which is really
very seldom-all his admirers are expected
to see the point at once and join in hearty
CUFF aw at the brillancy of his raid in the
field Of comedy. But we are running away
from the subject, and unless a sudden
switch-off is effected. we shall be merging
this article into politics, and that, you
know, would be making fun of a very
serious subject.
Occasionally We see Jokes clothed in so
much verbiage as to be quite pointless re-
minding one of very little lady with an
illimitable accompaniment of founces and
crinolne; you forget the personality before
you in an effort to take in the quantity Of
her rigging. If any small lady regards
this illustration as personal, we beg to as
sure her that no offence is intended Oh
the contrary the writer is partial to petite
specimens Of feminine beauty; only, be it
observed, such excellence in miniature
should not be put out Of sight by encasc,
nent in q whole Dry Goods store. This is
40 joke.
Small stories or feeble witticisms should
wear but little dress. There is no one but
who can call to mind some occasion where
an insipid, slow-motioned story teller has
occupied the attention of company for an
interminable time in spinning yarn so
peintless as to elicit nothing more than a
grunt Of disappointment or at best spas
modic twitch of the facial muscles
Haven't you been "bord to death" by
persons who had "a good thing to tell you,"
kept you from your business or your ap-
pointment? and when you would start to
leave them, have they not pulled you back
to pour into your unwilling ear history
Of the grand father of the man who cut
the first tree in the township where the re-
lator was born? Or an account of the
manner in which the realtors grand mother
cooked beans or baked pies? OF course
you have. Every village has one or more
OF these kill temper fellows, and all Of US
are viciimized when We get in their com.
pany.
This habit Of putting on too much cloth
ing not only is fault with jokers and
story-tellers, but it is weakness which
runs through the world Of intellectual mer-
chandise. The Editor in his argumentatiye
leaders; the Executives in their messages
the Reporter in his notes; the Lawyer in
his pleas; the Divine in his sermons ALL
are inclined to pile up the agony of words,
and readers and hearers too frequently feel
themselves the victims of an unmeanine
shower of verbiage 1t matters little to
the practical, active man in this age oil
steam and lightning, what were the minute
circumstances surrounding historical fact
the tact alone, with only that reasonable
dressing which may render it tangible OF
recollectable, is all there is Of value to thu
student We all read by telegraph snt
travel by steam, now. We grasp pape,
from the city, turn to its news headings
dash at the market report, glance up ant
down its columns, and in five minutes tn
leading facts it contains are in pessessio:
Of the reader. Condensation is the orde
throughout all life, and why shall not tn
professional nan. be he Preacher, Lawyer
Editor, Historian or street Story teller. b.
required to squeeze Ap his matter in tn
smallest possible compass on pain Of beini
left to prattle to the walls or the winds?
But really this article has grown SO il
length that VIC fear our readers viii suspec
us Of designing to condemn theory by I
practical illustration Of its prosy effect