The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-05-10
A HUMoRIsTs WIFE.
Making Fun for the Masses at a
Sick Weman's Bedside.

Bob Burdette is known the coun-
try over as the humorist Of the Bur
lington Hawkeye.
He is the most successful Of cuI
funny men. His books have q con-
slant ard increasing sale. His sal
AIRY from the Hawkeye gives him q
handsome income, and his little
sketches command the best prices
from the magazines. In addition,
he has $3.50 and $3.50 a night when
ever he wants to take q featuring
tour of one or twenty weeks.
/ His humor is true, delicate and
abundant, and he is an honor
to the lighter American writer's, be
cause of his literary achievements.
But better and more honorable
than all this is the story of his
hearthstone.
When he was a man of twenty
six he was engaged to Miss Carrie
Garrett, of Peoria, Ill. She was a
frail and delicate girl, and one
evening Burdette was summoned to
her bedside with the message that
she was dying. Little hope was
entertained for her life when he
reached her. 1t was determined, at
the wish of both he and she, that
they should be married, even
though death should at once claim
the bride The ceremony took
place in fifteen minutes, the little
lady being able to respond only by
the motion of the eyes and gentle
pressure of the hand. In spite OF
the doctors predictions she rallied,
and was finally well enough to
move to the 4uiet and cosy home
her husband had provided for her.
But she has been an invalid al
her life. More than once her life
has been dispaired Of. Usually she
mas been confined to her room and
unable to walk.
One night at theater in Phila
delphia the writer saw a pale and
earnest man making his way to q
private box. with a delicate, cling.
ing woman in his arms. Her girl
sh face was full of pathos that
passed description, but was won.
derfully pretty. And strangely
happy, too-tilled with content.
Everybody made way for the lit
tie lady, and her great tender eyes
seemed To send thanks to every gen
Jleman who moved aside in courtesy
it was Bob Burdette and his inva.
lid wife.
This is an index of his life. The
temptations of the world, the daz
zIe and glitter of society that has
welcomed him, the converse with
brilliant men, the club, the theatre,
wealth, fame-all and either OF
them failed 10 win his heart away
from the little woman who sat at his
freside and lived on his love and
sympathy.
Nor was there lacking a practical
reward of his devotion. Mrs. Bur
dette has been the inspiration OF
her husbands life, at once his spur
and his counsellor.
She first discovered the rich
quality and the spontaneity of
Bob's humor and the homely flavor
that would carry it to the heart as
well as the intelligence of the pub
lie. Imagine the humQrist reading
the most laughable stories at the
bedside of his invalid wife. He
tells himself of how she forced him
to write his first lecture in these
words:
Zone day when she was lying
helpless she said she believed that l
could write a lecture and deliver it
successfully, and so she sat me
down to write that lecture, and
from time to time / rebelled with
tears and groans and prayers. l
told her that l had no voice, and
that 1 couldn't lecture anyhow.
She kept me at it, and in due time
we had lecture on our hands. The
Rise and Fall of the Mustache.'
This was all well enough, but now
to get the audience. l thought
would try it first at Keokuk.
IF / delivered it first in Burling-
ton, even though it were tame, tam
er, tamest, L thought they might
put me on the book. But Keokuk
hated Burlington, and l knew if it
was fat the Keokuk people wonld
say so. Mrs. Burdette said, as she
was responsible for that lecture, she
was going to hear it delivered. So l
carried her aboard the cars. We
went to Keokuk, and the people
pronounced it good.'
From that day he has prospered
wherever his homely insignificant
little figure has been seen.-Atlan-
Ia Constitution,