, 1877-11-02
JOHN lIABl3ERTON.

AN HfFORT TO III FUNNY.
Mr. John 1lahberton, the author Of "IIefen's
Dab!cs, =" lerturcd last evcnIng In Farwell Hail,
h!s theme being "Tha Small Doy.'' II was, as
q literary effort, very crtttttatle cndcayor to
humorizc. 1t was eclectic humnr. 1t was acare-
full aud tud!c4ous combination Of tho approved
methods employed by tho American huluorists
In the manufacture Of this salabae article. Tbs
small boy was set up ~ q mark at Which was
fred series Of comic sentences tn which tho
hcarcr heard tho rtng of alask Twain, OF
the Danbury man, Of the Detroit man,
Of tho Durlinaton man. of-ln shost-ot tho
tlcro lew bright, agreeable suggestions, Us
when the lecturer. wandering Into u sentimental
mood. described the passage Of tue small ulsa-
greeable into tug age Ut PUBERTY. Even here.
strongly .u'acke4 of tbs ss,isatIoi.aI. Tho
passion ot love, which ls supposed to transform
eho !nanucrs Of the rising yaiut!! ttutn thu uwk-
warlncsa Of fha unknuwl,lR !hnuce,lt
n, a's The va. '''''Sx :xs.s st:s1''ssaS;' III II tue
%As which WA uttcslyas yasancs with Naturc's
laws and abits. "lt II like tue transformation.
hsenr iu y ianto,nnc." said sir. ilabbertot,.
u. lAis ls not =. AZ medical student could cur
" coussc., und the misfortune was that tle
aud!ehee failed TO ucccpt II Us such. The
audience sat 10 solemn silence while alr. lab.
nsFhu leasl MS ntttclct aud not eretl the
El!oWlrlks that this was the authorof "iIelen's
tsaoie*" shat was talking to them could pro-
ousc ent'c OF thu'np Ut applause.
Af. fla6ssertoh IL . very pour Eeatter Strictly
speaking he 10 not a reader It all. Hc niunlbles
bis matter over tho desk tl q war which il
almost painful to beha!a. Iii. articje-skctch
casay. " whatsverit might be ca!ted-wotl;I uast
muster III alnlost any daily news,yapcr. u1iI
would probably attlaet attention: Ii would bc
very Aent!ele contribution to The Home de.
plrtnlent. Yet, with all possible rc.pcct 10 Ina
author Of Z" uelen's Babies" 1t must Le taiI
that the interest in i celebrated persun
sometimes ceases when hs undertakes
takrs" suggests a happy thought. Tne
IlanbuEy man, tho I!a9k<ls Burlington nla.. tue
Detroit hiat,, and other men OF their clas., hare
proved 10 b. their own uudcEtQkers by printing
books,-in other words, by insisting on the xcli-
eral public becoming the keepcrs Of their scrap
books. They fold up their funny things Into q
printed volume md sre dead. Sir: llabbcrIon
liz has buried hlmaclf on the platform. Hc
wIote . pretty little book. which inter
sstcu great many fathers and mothers. He
might hase wr'tten.a great many more books
ol y st!!l more Interesting kind. But his moth
er-tn-law said to hsm. ~ an evil hour Wig
81 toule popular scotehuan might taY, Why
don't you run for au oiticel"-aDd The unfor-
tunately young aud gifted authur listened to
tho siren sooK. aud went and tlnmurel himself.
II 10 pity that Genius should thus hecome IT.
own own 9tagesilaxes. After listening 10 Mr. IIab-
beFton,a lecture. no city editor will otter him
thu WAY Bully Arlington spoiled himself Is
MlnatEel man, aud In the same WAY goou
nany brilliant Journalistic geuiuses have d.
ptyed themselves vi the opportunity OF earn
A2 modest but respectable salary. Mr. lab