Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-01
DRAWBACKS OF JOKING.
4 New York Humorist Falls Foul Of q
Strange New Jersey Audience.

4 New York Humorist Falls Foul Of q
Strange New Jersey Audience.
81 confess that when q man in nv
line seriously sits down to measure
the length, breadth and exact number
of cubic inches to joke. he comes to
the conclusion that joking by contract
has its drawbacks" So spoke Marshall
P. Wilder. the humorist, after his re-
cent trip to Tuckerton, n. j., where he
employed his varied talents in the en-
deavor to convulse with laughter an
audience composed of q few hundred
farmers and villagers. He labored
under some disadvantages on the oc-
casiOn. The members of the reception
committee who met him at the railroad
depot impressed upon him the fact that
many of the persons to whom he was
to address himself were church men,
bers OF the strictest type whom any
thing approaching to levity would be
an objectionable offense. They told
him, too, that others of the audience
were worldy-minded people who had
been recently gathered to the fold, and
that they would lose cast with the con-
gregation if they were seen laughing
immoderately. Here was state of
things!
WELL" laughed Wilder, Il was in
for it and could not shirk the response
5ility. Half dozen local people got
on at the station this side of the town
to attend the entertainment. and l
confess l had my misgivings. for never
a ghost of smile fiickered on their
faces. The night was chilly, and as
stepped on the platform saw couple
of figures looking anxiously into the
faces of the arrivals. They were the
members of the reception committee,
but they looked like a pair of under
takers.
"I'll be darned if he's come said
one; what are we agwine to do.
brother?'
"'May be he's gone to the next sta
ton by mistake, was the grave re-
Spouse.
Il took in the situation at once"
pursued Wilder, "and l thought I'd
have my own joke if it wasn't on the
programme. Away drove the commit
tee in a buggy, and, stepping into 4
stage closely muffled, l followed. The
buggy had the start of me by about ten
minutes, and when l arrived at the
hall heard the loud voice of the chair
man making an apology for my non
Going around by the
back door, l persuaded small boy to
call him off the stage. As he came oss
he scrutinized my diminutive figure
and exclaimed:
"'Who on earth be you?
"'My name is Wilder-Narshall P.
Wilder replied.
'''Then where's your fathero'
"'He's in New York, l guess
"'An' where's the humOrist?'
"'Tm the humorist.'.
"'Wall, I'll be gol-darned if this
don't beat punkins!' and he burst into
such an uncomfortable fit of laughter
chat thought he'd never stop. Just
gou holt on a mint while fix things
Then he rushed onto the platform and
raising his hands as though about to
pronounce the benediction, he said in
a loud voice:
"'Ladies and gentlemen, the humor-
list is come He couldn't get any
further, for he was seized with such
spasm of laughter that l began to feel
the supply would give out before l
could come to his relief. Let's us in
troduce you properly he added and
Selling me by the arm he almost
dragged me before the audience and
then roared:
''This be the humorist.'
"Some laughed and others looked in
but boy in front. who was
contrasting my small figure
with the tall. bony attitude of the
called out: Don't step on
him or you'll break him upr"
Mr.. Wilder thinks there is good ma
terial for laughter in the town of
but it requires little fer
tilizing and cultivation. He thinks
that in second or third attempt he
may be able to make some of the
deacons and sisters smile.-N. Y. Mail
and Express.