Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1867-06-28


Humor will often dispose best of enthusi.
astic or frantic fancies. In Dean Swilt's
lime, tailor near him took 1t into his head
that he was divinely called to interpret the
prophecies, especially Revelations. One
night he received the commission to declare
the word of the Lord TO the Dean, and bright
and early the next morning he was on his
way to do it. Through his glass door the
Dean saw him coming, and surmised his
erraud. Putting on grave, studious air,
and opening his Bible to Rev. x, with fixed
attention, he awaited the prophets approach.
The door opened, and in an unearthly voice
1t was announced-"Dean Swift, I am sent
by the Almighty to-" "Come in, come in,
my friend" said the Dean; 81 am in great
trouble, and no doubt the Lord has sent you
to help me out of my difficulties" The
prophet was cheercd by the welcome. He
was all ears in more sense than one. "My
FRIEND" said the Dean, 81 have just been
reading Rev. N, and am greatly distressed
with difficulty, and you are the very man
to help me out. Here is an account of an
angel that came down from Heaven, and
was so large that he placed one foot on the
land and the other upon the sea, and lifted
up his hands to Heaven. Now my knowl-
edge of mathematics has enabled me to cal
culate exactly the form and size of this angel;
but I am in great difficulty, for wish to
ascertain how much cloth it will take to
make him a pair of breeches; and as that is
in your line of business, have no doubt
the Lord has sent you to show me,n The
poor tailor was confounded He felt as II
struck by an electric shock. He rushed
back to his shop; revulsion of feeling came
over him, and he WAS fully satisfied that hil
calling did not lie in the line of prophetic
Interpretation.
John Bunyan was not without an elemen
OF humor If one ia TO believe the story of thu
Quaker who found him In Bedford Jail, ant
told him that the LORD had message TO
him, which he was commissioned to deliver
and on account OF which he had sought hin
in all the jails of the kingdom. 'It th
Lord had given you a message for me,
said Bunyan, "He would have known wher
to send you, for He knows that have bee
lying these twelve years in Bedford Jail.
But humor is an edged tool that must
played with carefully. II may cut the finger
that are Needless in handling 1t. Rev. Azt
Roe was taken prisoner by the British in tn
} Revolutionary war, and was conducted b
his captors to New York. They treated hii
with much respect, and as they were abot
! crossing an unbridged stream, the BIRTHS
} officer offered to carry him over on his bacl
2 He did so; but midway in the stream, I'll
: clergyman, amused at the plight in whic
c both were, inadvertently let his humor on
7 "Well," said he, sit must be confessed th
s if you were never priest ridden before, yC
are so now. y The officer was so convulst
= with laughter that he nearly performed tt
s office of Baptist preacher for his PresbYt
i rian brother
The joke practical does not always end
s harmlessly as in the case of Nathaniel A
n pleton, who found, on riding up to the hou
It of his beloved, that his rivals horse w
h pitched at the gate. Unbitching him, al
= giving him smart stroke with his raw hid
o he walked in and inquired whose horse til
6 could be cantering down the street 1t me-
&c not be said that he found the coast clear
y once, and took good pains TO keep it SO.
e But when humor gets thus beyond wor
into actual deeds and tricks of mischlefs,
l. grows wanton and needs check And ii
d check 1t is sure to find at last. The hum
N is Cancelled or neutralzed by the mischi
y The bee stipgs as well as sings, and b.
music must be the best kind of soprano
n keep one unconscious of venom ranking
$. the blood. Happily, humor is not common
given in excess Like oil for putty, it
le usually just enough, II rightly used, to s.
"a ten the nature, and make it pliable, WhC
oil it abounds, it needs to be kept within care
H. limits, Otherwise the fire that warns W
T. burn, and be constantly kindling conhag
&c tons, One gifted In the line of wit or nun
IN must be careful, or these will absorb ever
lie thing else. Intellect, affection aud conscier
10 will all be dissolved in it, only 10 form
III worthless amalgam. Hours at Home,