The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-12
A HUMoRrr's LOVE STORY.
A Man Who Makes Fun for the Masses at
the Bedside of sick Wife.


Bob Rur,lette, saws the Atlanta Con-
stiEattion, is known the country over rs
tie humorist OF tie Burlington Hdarh'-
e,te lie is the most successful OF our
funny men. His books have constant
and increasing sale. His salary from
the IEglc5,4f,e srfyes him handsome M
! come and his little sketches command
the best prices from the magazines
I'm addition he has $3.50 to $3.50 night
| whenever he wants to take lectdr1n9
| to,lr of one or twenty weeks Ills
bumor is delicate. true and abundant,
and he is an honor to the li@hter Amer
| lean writers, because OF his Literary
achievements.
But better and more honorable than
this is the story of his hearthstone.
When he was a young man OF twenty
six he was enoa ged to Miss Carrie Gar
ret. 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 if death should
at once claim tine bride The ceremony
took place in fifteen minutes, the little
lady being able to respond only by a
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
More than once her life has been dos
paired of. Usually She has been confin-
ed to her room and unable to walk.
One night at theatre in Philadelphia
the writer saw Il pale and earnest man
making his way to a private box with a
delicate, clinging woman in his arms.
He1. 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 Burdctte 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 iireside and
lived on his love and sympathy.
Nor was there lacking n 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 spontaneity of Bob'sI
humor, and the homely flavor that
would carry it to the heart us well rs
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 a lecture and deliver it successful
ly, and SO she sat me down to write that
lecture, and from time to time ! REBEL
ed with tears and greans and prayers.
| told her that | was too little, that
had no voice. and that | couldn't write
a lecture anyhow. She kept me ut it.
and, in due time. we had n lecture on
our hands. '''rhe Rise and Fall of the
Mustache.' This was all right enough;
but now, how to get the audience. III
thought | would try it first at Keokuk. |
If | delivered it first in Burlington, even
though it We're tame, tanner, tameSt, |
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 il delivered. SO /
carried her aboard the ears. 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.