Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-11-09
The StUry Teller.
from the Chicago Herald.

From the Chicago Herald.
A funny story, when well told and we'll
timed, forms not only the height of
entertainment, but often proves the
weightiest argument in the settlement
of serious matters. A good story-teller
is one of the most popular Of persons.
In society he is the life of the COM
pany. EN- barrasslnent disappears be-
fore his magic, and wall-fowers are
put at their ease by him. He can trans
form business journey into pleasure
trip, and can render even imprisonment
enjoyable. In is not necessary to eX-
pand upon his po"cr to please. The
good story-telier j not SO rare, but
that nearly every uAe has had his own
personal eXperiel" 9 enriched by his
acquaintance and mpanionship. To
try to tell what coli ,titutes good story
would be to give re anatomy of wit
and humor, and M h more beside. A
good story must no; only contain one or
the other Of thes", but it must be
clothed IN well-n'1h perfect word suit,
a linguistic glove-tt 30 the spirit of wit
tracts from the 81 Try. The following,
which many doubles heard, illustrates
h w slight chan e may deaden wit
and at the same time give point to a
story: An elderv Inan named Gregory
was passing along the street one day
and overlook a great, loutish, over
grown hoy, who wore short jacket or
roundabout, -uch us might have been
appropriate for his little brother, if he
had one. "My FRIEND" said Mr..
Gregory, cit seems to me the coat you
wear is very short one"
1t will be long enough before I get
another one," the boy replied. The
answer struck the Old gentleman in a
funny spot, and he Just sat down and
laughed. He couldn't get over it, and
every little while during the rest Of the
day he would think OF it and burst out
laughing. That evening he went to a
church sociable which, as such godly
diversions are apt to be, was very
dreary. A few of the fathers and
mothers in Israel Were engaged in
propounding sanctimoilous conundrums
to their sanctifed com. ,anions, and ap-
peared to be at their t,.se. The young
people, however, wee far from it.
They shifted from ole foot to the
other, looked at each other in a wistful
but don't-give- it-away manner, and then
relapsed into kicking themselves that
they did not stay at home or go some
where else and enjoy themselves. Com
pretending that things were not as
lively as they should be, Mr.. Gregory
thought he would tell the company
about the amusing occurrence of the af-
ternoon, and the minut" he thought of
it he burst out laughin. nor did he
stop until he got the whole company
burning with curiosity, and had almost
convinced some of them that he was
crazy. Finally ne broke out with Il
want to tell you about ii. 1t is the fun.
NEST thing l ever knew. never
laughed so in my life before" After
| indulging in another fit Of laughter he
continued :-"This afternoonI was goil e
| along the street and overlook a gres.,
overgrown bow wearing Il jacket, one OF
these roundabouts, you know. Well, ]
| said to him, MY friend, it seems to me
! your coat is very snort one. and
| what do you suppose lie said?" AnG
the old gentleman was struck again with
/ commissions of extra severity. Recover.
ing himself at last he added: Gle said
to me-he said, 1T will be a long time
before | get another one,' and Mr.
Gregory entered upon another fit O
laughter even more hearty than before
But he stopped almost Immediately
! No one was laughing or even smiling
except in a peculiar way. They eviden.
thy saw nothing lunny. With his face
| sobered with a suddenness that was sac
poor Mr.. Gregory exclaimed, sit dom
sound half as funny as it did, somehow
Soon after he edged out of the door
and he didn't find out what was tn,
matter until after he got home.