The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-11-26
THE RISE OF THE CHESTNUT


1t is matter of reproach TO our So
cial scientists that the habits and Gus
toms of the joke have received so little
attention. 1t Is an error Of the vulgar
to suppose that joke is literary me-
teor that flashes across the intellectual
sky for moment and then disappears
forever. Even trained observers have
been deceived into expressing much
the same opinion; and celebrated
scientist, whose services to mankind
justify Us in concealing his name in
connection with the charge, was heard
to declare that a joke was ''an instance
of intellectual alteration unworthy of
serious attention" Nothing could be
further from the facts. Leaving aside
any discussion of the first cause of the
joke. which would involve us in the
obscurities of metaphysical discussion,
we may state boldly that the joke has
well-defned habits and peculiarties,
and a study of its history and develop
ment is well worthy the 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 one who
had paid the slightest attention to the
subject could possibly mistake a Ger
man joke for French joke, or
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 even be outlined in this
column. Nevertheless, as small con-
tributioD to an important subject, We
offer the following account of single
member of the large and interesting
family known as the American joke:
1t is eight months or more since the
chestnut joke first saw the light. Its
birth is involved in obscurity, in spite
of earnest efforts to trace Its ancestry.
In the early days of its existence it
gave no sign of coming greatness. We
know the story of the school at Brien-
ne, where Bourienne took the prizes
over Napoleon; Bourienne is now re-
membered not as the prize boy"
but as Nepoleon's secretary. In like
manner the tin-pan joke or tire niger
baby joke of even date with the chest
nut seemed surer of fame. A. the time
the chestnut appeared the paint-the-
town-red joke was at the height of its
tame. Its monthly appearance in JAN
uary was tWenty-six thousand seven
hundred and forty-siX, which is sur
passed only by its unprecedented No
yember record of thirty-eiCht thousand
nine hundred, due TO the local disturb
ing cause of a Democratic victory that
month at the polls. For the same
month the chestnut appeared in public
but a beggarly one hundred and eleven
times. Previous to that date it was so
insignificant as not TO seem worthy of
record. Starting from this point, we
see the gradual rise of the chesnut and
the corresponding decline of paint-the-
town-red. In February the chestnut
appeared twelve hundred and foIty-
four times. and the paint-the-town-red
appeared twenty-five thousand nine
hundred and fourteen times. This does
not necessarily indicate any falling off
in the popularity of the latter, for the
effect or nard tlmeS 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
cumstances is truly significant. The
following month paint-the-town-red
nearly held its own, appearing twenty
five thousand seven hundred and nine
teen times, but the chestnut increased
to thirty-two hundred. The following
month it increased by eleven hundred,
while the paint-the-town-red declined
by nearly the same number. But in
the month of May the chestnut Ieaped
at one astonishing bound to fourteen
thousand seven hundred and eighty ap-
pearances, its only one rival coming
down something less than the same
figure.
1t is scarcely necessary to 90 further
into details. The August returns give
q total OF more than twenty-nine thous-
and appearances for the chestnut, while
its rival is all but as extinct as Mr..
Crawford's "dado." The reports for
the first half of the present month in
dicate that the total will fall little if
any below that of August, although
the return-of-the-summer-bo -boarder has
acted as disturbing element We
may assume however, from the fore
going figures that the chestnut has
reached its full development, and is
doomed to a speedy decline 1t is dan
gerous to generalize from but two or
three instances, but from the obvious
similarity of the careers of the success
full 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 all
confidence.
We may suppose, therefore, that the
chestnut must follow the path already
trodden by paint-the-town-red and its
predecessors, and, after seeing the rise
OF some successful rival that is even
now in the obscure throng, will become
extinct in about eight months. Its rise
has taken an equal length of time. In
spite of few well-known exceptions
where joke has been able to survive
in toothless, mumbling condition for
two or three years, we may safely
state that the average life of the sue
cessful American joke is sixteen or. at
the most, eighteen months. The sub
iect is one of much interest, and should
attract some young and enthusiastic
social scientist.