The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-20
The Sadness Of a Humorist.

The Buffalo Courier quotes that
touching little poem, "since She Went
Home" by Bob Burdette. and tells a
story showing how close akin to pathos
is the authors humor. Burdette was
IN Buffalo on business few years
ago. and met some friends with whom
| he spent an extremely iovial night.
He was apparently in a frenzy OF fun,
and wit and bright Jokes emanated
| from him like electric sparks. Here
is the sequel:
Bob and / walked back to his hotel,
He asked me to accompany him to
his room, as he did not care to be
alone after such a jolly night, and as
it would get no later we might us well
smoke u cigar or two. We lit our ci-
gars and smoked for moment i'll sill
ence, when Bob threw his weed into
the cuspldor and flung himself
face downward on the bed, where
lie sobbed as though his heart
would break. l grew alarmed, and
| ttEShCA nc was III, illld II !
could do anything for him. He recov.
cred himself after a while and begged
me to forgive him, but his sorrow was
greater than he could bear. Said
he:
81 have been making fool and
buffoon OF myself all night to please
a lot OF good-natured fellows who
would never give me a second thought
If l had not the reputation OF being
an amusing chap, but it was not to
please them that l have been carrying
on. | have been trying to get away
from the misery OF my own mind and
the certain knowledge OF the desola-
tion that must fall over my home be,
fore long. My poor wife, you must
know, is dying there by inches before
my eyes, and there is no skill on earth
to ease her agonies, much less save
her. She's the dearest little woman,
my boy, that ever lived or breathed
She endures, with the most placid res
lgnation, torments such rs surely must
be spared the lost, and M afraid that
she would be content even to die anC
leave me if only to get relief But
that's only q mans selfish way OF
toihiiiS. f2ie Has lIftlle iilc NlldLSSeL
! am or may become in the world. She
filled Inc with ambition to rise above
drudgery when there was little pros,
pect OF any other sort OF life before
me, and she has been my severest crit
lc as we'll as my most faithful adviser.
Years that have seen her advice bear
fruit have only added pain and mis-.
cry to her and to me, and am oblig.
ed to hawk my fun around the coun.
try in lectures and play the merry
lester to the press, so that moth
ing may be lacking, when actu.
ally my heart is bursting. l have
worked hard upon humorous
matter when by her side, wondering
whether she was only asleep or really
dead, often stopping in my task to
ease her during an agonizing spasm.
and kept at it by the certain knowl,
edge that only such work would prove
sufficiently remunerative. You have
heard OF the comic actor who played
his part with his usual crispness and
acceptability, while all the time his
heart was at home, where his wife lay
at the poin. of death? Well, my boy
for years ! have been enduring nightly
peioie lne pupltc III lecture AallS, aho
daily at my desk, all that that poo,
man went through. May God spar,
any other human being such torment
have my son, Robbie, a bright young
ster, who has been perfectly prepared
by his mother for the grim day wher
he shall be alone. She tells him that
she is 'to 90 home, and, oh God, what
will 1t be for both OF us when she goes
home?"
We parted and / have not seen hin
since. The verses just read so recall
to me that sorrowing morning, after q
night OF excitement undertaken te
drive away care, that ] could not
help telling of the experience | had
with the man by way OF illustrating
his sincerity.