The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-12-03
THE RISE or THE CHESTNUT

1t Is matter of rsproach TO our So
cial scientists that the habits and GUS
toms of tho joke have received 80 littlo
attention. 1t Is an error of the vulgar
to suppose that u joke Is literary me-
teor that flashes across tho intellectual
SKY Tor moment und then disappears
forever. Eron trained observers have
Deeh deceived into expressing much
the ssmo opinion; and o celebrated
scientist, whose services to mankind
JUSTIFY us in conccaling his namo in
connection with tho charge, was heard
TO declare that joke was "an instance
OF intellectual alteration unworthy Of
serious attention" Nothing could bo
further from tho facts. Leaving aside
amy discussion of tho first cause of tho
joke, which would involve us in tho
obscurities of metaphysical discussion,
we may state boldly that tho joke has
well-delined habits aud peculiarities,
and study Of its history and develop
ment is we'll worthy tho attention of
the foremost minds in science.
1t Is evident to any observer that the
joke may be accurately divided into
races and nationalities. No ono who
had paid the slightest attention to tho
subject could possibly mistake a Ger
man joke for u French joke, or n
French joke for British Joke. In fact,
they are as plainly marked off from
each other as any two breeds of dogs.
and each undoubtedly has its different
habits. An adequate discussion OF the
subject can not cvon bo outlined in this
column. Nevertheless, as n small con-
tribution to an important subject, We
offer the following account of single
member OF tho largo and interesting
family known rs the American Joke:
1t Is eight months or moro since the
chestnut joke first saw the light. Its
birth is involved in obsourity, in spite
OF earnest efforts to trace Its ancestry.
In the carly days of it's existence it
gave no sign of coming greatness. Wo
know the story Of the school ut Brien-
ne, where Bourienno took the prizes
over Napoleon; Bourcnnc is now re-
melnbercd not us tho prize boy"
but as Nepolcou's secretary. In like
manner the tin-pan joke or tho nigger-
baby joke OF oven date with the chest
nut seemed surer Of fame. At tho time
the chestnut appeared the paint-the-
town-red joke was at tho height of its
fame. Its monthly appearance in Jan
uary was twenty-six thousand seven
hundred and forty-six, which is sur
passet only by its unprecedented No
Vembcr iocord OF thirty-oight thousand
nine hundred. duo TO the local disturb
ing cause of Il Democratic victory that
month ut tho polls. For the same
month the chestnut appeared in public
but bcggarly ono hundred and eleven
times. Previous to that dato it was so
insignificant as not to seem worthy Of
record. Starting from this point, we
see the gradual riso Of the chestnut and
the corresponding decline of paint-the-
town-red. In February tho chestnut
appeared twolvo hundred and forty
four times. and tho paint-thc-town-rod
appeared twenty-five thousand nine
hundred and fourteen times. This dos
not necessarily indicate any falling off
in the popularity of the lattor. for the
effect of hard times was most severely
felt that month, the total output Of
jokes being six per cent under that of
January; but the increase of the chest
nut joke under such unfavorable cir
cumsIances is truly significant. The
following month paint-the-town-red
nearly held its own, appearing twenty
1.-Two thousand sevon hundred and nine
teen times, but the chestnut increased
to thirty-two hundred. Tho following
month it increased by eleven hundred,
whilo tho puint-the-town-rcd declined
by nearly tho same number. But in
tho month of May the chestnut leaped
Mt one astonishing bound to fourteen
thousand scron hundred and eighty APP
pearanccs. its only ono rival coming
down something less than tho same
figure.
1t is scarcely necessary to 60 further
into details. Tho August returns give
n total OF more than twunty-nine thous-
its rival is all but rs extinct as Mr..
Crawford's "dado." The reports for
the first half of the present month in
dicate that tho total will fall little il
any below that of August, although
tho return of-the-summer-boa has
acted as II disturbing clement. We
may assume however, from tho fore
going figures that the chestnut has
reached its full development, and Is
doomed to speedy decline. 1t is dan
gerous to generalize from but two or
thrco instances. but from the obvious
similarity of the careers of the success
ful American joke. it Is almost certain
that their existence is determined by
fixed and immutable laws. We have
not the figures at had to verify this
statement, but we pronounce it in NIL
We may suppose, therefore, that tho
chestnut must follow tho path already
trodden by paint-the-town-red and its
predecessors, and, after seeing tho rise
of some successful rival that is oven
now in tho obscure throng. will become
extinct in about eight months. Its rise
has taken an equal length of time. In
spite of few woll-known exceptions
whero n joke has been able to survive
In q toothless, mumbling condition for
two or three years, we may safely
state that tho average life of the sue
cessful American joke Is sixteen or, at
the most, eighteen months. Tho sub
ject is ono of much interest, and should
attract some young and enthusiastic
social scientist.
----------a-o- O-Sas-------
~ am very timid man." writes o