The Portland daily press., 1883-03-12
A Humorist with a Love Story.
A Man Who Makes Fun for the Million at
the Bedside of an Invalid Wife,


Bob Burdette is known the world over as
the humorist of the Burlington Hawkeye.
He is the most successful of our funny men.
His books have constant and increasing
sale. His salary from the Hawkeye gives
him handsome income, and his little
sketches command the best prices from the
magazines. In addition he has $3.50 to $3.50
a night whenever he wants to take lectur-
ing tour of one or twenty weeks. His hum
Or is delicate, true and abundant, and he is
an honor to the lighter American letters be-
cause of his literary achievement.
But better and more honorable than all
this is the story of his hearthstone.. When
he was young man of 26 he was engaged
to Miss Carrie Garrett of Peoria, ILL., She
was frail and delicate girl, and one even
ing Burdette was summoned to her bedside
with the message that she was dying. Lit
tie 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 mar
ried, even if death should at once claim the
bride. The ceremony took place in fifteen
minutes, the little lady being able to respond
only by motion of the eyes and a gentle
pressure of the hand. In spite of the doc
tors predictions she rallied, and was finally
well enough to move to the quiet and cosy
home her husband had provided for her,
But she has been an invalid all her life.
More than once her life has been despaired
of. Usually she has been confined to her
room and unable TO walk. One night at
theatre in Philadelphia the writer saw pale
and earnestman making his way to private
box. with delicate, clinging woman in his
arms. Her girlish face was full of pathos
that passes description, but was wonderful
ly pretty. And strangely happy, too-flled
with content. Everybody made way for the
little lady, and her great tender eye seemed
to send thanks to every gentleman who
moved aside in courtesy. 1t was Bob Bur
dette and his invalid wife This is an index
OF his life. The temptations of the world,
the dazzle and glitter of the society that has
welcomed him-the converse with brilliant
men, the club the theatre, wealth, fame-all
and either of them failed to win his heart
away from the little woman who sat at his
fireside and lived on his love and sympathy.
Nor was there lacking practical reward
of this devotion. Mrs. Burdette has been
the inspiration of her husbands life-at
once his spur and his counsellor. She first
discovered the rich quality and the sponta-
neity OF Bob's humor and the homely favor
that would carry it to the heart as well as
the Intelligence of the public Imagine the
humorist reading the most laughable stories
at the bedside of his invalid wife. He tells
himself how she forced him to write his first
lecture, in these words:
Zone day when she was lying helpless,
she said that she believed could write
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. | told her that / was
too little, that | had no voice, and that
couldn't write a lecture anyhow. She
kept me at it, and in due time we had lee
ture on our hands, The Rise and Fall of the
Moustache.' This was all right enough.
But now how to get the audience. thought
l would try it first at Keokuk. If l deliv-
cred it first in Burlington, even though it
were tame, tanner, tanest, thought they
might put me on the book. But Keokuk
hated Burlington, and knew if it was fiat
the Keokuk people would say so. Mrs. Bur
dette said, as she was responsible for that
lecture, she was going to hear it delivered.
SO carried her .Ahssea-~as.o- W sssz>.-
10 Keokuk and the people pronounced it
good"
From that day he has prospered wherever
his homely, Insignificant little figure has
been seen.