Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-07-24
MISCELLANEOUS.
Burdctte's Love Story.

bod 6ufdctte Is known the country
over as the humorist of The Burlinq-
ton HaeUEeye He is the most sue
cessful of our funny men. His
books have constant and increasing
sale. His salary from The Haeckeye
gives him handsome income, and
his little sketches command the best
price from the magazines. In addi-
ton he has $3.50 to $3.50 a night
whenever he wants to take lee
turing tour of one or twenty weeks.
His humor is delicate, true and
abundant, and he is an honor to the
lighter American letters because of
his literary achievement.
But better and more honorable
than all this is the story of his hearth
stone. When he was young man
of twenty-six he was engaged to be
married to Miss Carrie Garret, of
Peoria, III. She was fraiI and del
icate 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. It was
determined at the wish Of both he
and she that they should be married,
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 Il
motion of the eyes and gentle pres
sure 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
has provided for her.
But she has been an invalid all
her life. More than once her life
has been confined to her room and
unable to walk. One night at
theatre in Philadelphia the writer
saw pale and earnest man making
his way to q private box, with del
icate, clinging woman in his arms.
Her girlish face was full of pathos
that passes description, but was
wonderfully pretty. And strangely
happy, too-filled with content.
Everybody made way for the little
lady, and her great and tender eyes
seemed to send thanks to every gen.
tlcman who moved aside in courtesy.
It was Bob Burdettc 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
lireside and lived. on his love and
sympathy.
Nor was there lacking 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 spontaneity of
Bob's humor, and the homely flavor
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 him
self OF how she forced him to write
his first lecture in these words:
. One day when she was lying
helpless she said she believed that |
could write a lecture and deliver it
successfully, and so she sat me down
to write that lecture, and from time
to time 1 rebelled with tears and
groans and prayers. I told her that
l 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 lecture on our
hands, The rise and Fall of the
Moustachc.' This was all right
enough. But now how to get an
audience. thought 1 would try it
first at Keokuk. If I 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 fiat they would say so.
Mrs. Burdette said as she was re-
sponsible for the lecture, she was
going to hear it delivered. So
carried her aboard the cars. We
went to Keokuk and the people pro-
nounced it good.''
From that day he has prospered
wherever his homely, insignificant
little figure has been seen.-14Ncnta
Constitution.
Glass Fruit Jars, in quarts and hal4