The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-09-01
A HUMORIST'S LOVE STORY
A Man Whp Makes Fun for the Mass
cs at the Bedside of a sick
Wife.

Bob Burdette, say the Atlanta Constitu
ton, is known the country over as the hu-
morist of the Burlington (Haegheye. He is
the most successful of our funny men.
His books have Il constant and increasing
sale. His salary from the Haockeye gives
him handsome income, and his little
sketches command the best prices from the
magazines. In addition he has $3.50 to
$3.50 Il night whenever he wants to take
lecturing tour of one Or twenty weeks.
His humor is delicate, true and abundant,
can writer's, becauselof his literary achieve
ments.
But better and more honorable than this
is the story of his hearthstone.
When he was a young man OF 26 he was
engaged to Miss Carrie Garret of Peoria,
Ill. Sne 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 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 gentle pres
sure of the hand. La spite Of the doctors
predictions, she rallied, and was finally
we'll 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
despared Of Usually she has been con-
fined to her room and unable to walk. One
night at theatre in Philadelphia, the
writer saw pale and earnest man making
his way to private box, with delicate,
clinging woman in his arms. Her glriish
face was full of pathos that passes de-
scription, but was wonderfully pretty. And
strangely happy, too-filled with con-
tent. Everybody madeway for the little
lady, and her great tender eyes seemed to
send thanks to every gentleman who NOV
ed aside in courtesy. 1t was Bob Burdette
and his invalid wife. This is an index OF
his life. The temptation of the world, the
dazzle and glitter of the. society that has
welcomed hint the converse with brillian,
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 a practical re,
ward Of this devotion. Mrs. Burdette has
been the inspiration of her husbands life
at once his spur and his counselor. Sht
first discovered the rich quality and spon
taneity Of Bob's humor, and the homely
flavor that would carry it to the heart al
we'll as the intelligence of the public. I'm
agine the humorist reading the most laugh
able stories at the bedside of his sick wife
He tells himself of how she forced him K
write his first lecture, in these words:
zone day when she was lying helpless
she said she believed that | could writ.
lecture and deliver it successfully, ant
SO she sat me down to write that lecture
and from timeto time rebelled with tear
and groans and prayers. told her that
was too little, and that had no voice, AM
that / couldn't write a lecture anyhow
She kept me at it. and in due time, we ha
a lecture in our hands, The Rise aud Fal
of the Mustache.' This was all righ