The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-05-04
A HUMoR1sr's LOVE STORY.


Bob Burdette, says the Atlanta Con-
stituti0n, is known the country over as
che humorist of the Burlington HdaOk-
sye. He is the most successful of our
funny men. His books have constant
and Increasing sale. His salary from
the Hawkeye gives him handsome in
come, and his little sketches command
the best prices from the magazines.
In addition he has $3.50 to $3.50 night
whenever he wants to take lecturing
tour of one or twenty weeks. His
humor is delicate, true and abundant,
and he is an honor to the lighter Amer
lean writer's, because of his literary
achievements.
But better and more honorable than
this is the story of his hearthstonc.
When he was young man OF twenty
six he was enga ged to Miss Carrie Gar
ret, of Peoria, Ill. She was 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 if death should
ut 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 gentle pressure
of the hand. In spite of the doctors
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
hoo
paired of. Usually she has been confin-
ed to her room and unable to walk.
Que night at theatre in Philadelphia
the writer sawa pale and earnest man
making his way to n private box with a
delicate, clinging woman in his arms.
Her girlish face was full of a pathos that
passed description, but was wonderfully
pretty. And strangely happy. too
filled with content. Everybody made
way for the little lady, and her great
tender eyes seemed to send thanks to
every gentleman who moved aside in
courtesy. 1t was Bob Burdette and his
invalid wife. This is an index of lis
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 tireside and
lived on his love and sympathy.
Nor was there lacking a practical re-
ward of this devotion. Mrs. Burdette
has been the inspiration of her hus-
bands life-at once his spur and coun-
selor. She first discovered the rich
quality and the spontaGeity of Bob's
humor, and the homely flavor that
would carry it to the heart rs 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, of how she forced him
to write his first lecture, in these words:
zone day, when she was lying help
less, she said she believed that could
write u lecture and deliver it successful
ly, and so she sat me down to write that
lecture, and from time to time l REBEL
ed with tears and groans and prayers.
| told her that l was too little, that |
had no voice, and that | couldn't write
u 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 right enough;
but now, how to get the audience. !
thought would try it first at Keokuk.
If delivered it first in Burlington, even
though it were tame, tanner, tamest, i
thought they might put me on the book.
But Keokuk hated Burlington, and ]
knew if it was flat the Keokuk people
would 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 tc
Keokuk, and the people pronounced il
good"
From that day he has prospered
wherever his homely, insignificant little
figure has been seem