River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-02-14
SWIMMERS EXPERIENCE.
Funbv <dltor n eets the Embodlment OF
Humorous Conception.

SWIMMERS EXPERIENCE.
q Funn- zditor Gets the EmbodIment of
Humorous Conception.
Mr.. Skinner was the editor OF
humorous weekly. He had very
'asy time of it. for he got a comforta-
Die salary, and had nothing 70 do but
,dit.
As he had just turned into Broadway
,ne morning. on the way to his Office.
paper woa thrust into his hand. on which
he read:
ROUND AND AROUND.
at seems TO me. doctor. said old
5aggs. ''that your bill has got surpris-
ngly round?"
Perhaps" said the doctor. but
fou were got surprisingly around,
co."
Looking up he saw an old gentleman
walking beside him.
The aged unknown bowed and said:
II am the Embodiment of the Humor-
BUS Conception, sir"
Mr.. Skinner said he was happy,
etc.
Il think / could be useful to you, Mr..
SKINNER said the Embodiment of the
Humorous Conception.
I'm what way?" asked the editor.
''In the last number of your paper"
pursued the Embodiment of humorous
Conception, 'you had this" and ne
handed Mr. 5. cutting:
On it was:
OVERHEARD AT LURAY.
Guide-I could tell you things about
this cave that would make your hair
stand on end, sir.
Tourist don't think so.
Guide-You are very brave'
Tourist am totally bald.
"Well?"
do you consider that humorous, Mr.
Skimmer?n
Well" said the editor.
II hope for your own sake you do
not"
III you know any thing about hui
NOR" said Mr. Skinner. testify, ''you
must be aware that nothing is more
difficult than to produce a continuous
series OF short dialogues that are origi-
nal, pointed and amusing"
IL know it full well. Still, you
should not print thing that is not
original pointed and amusing. Read
this. also from your paper.
The Embodiment gave MIR. Skinner
another cutting
/ The editor for the first time appre-
ciated the position Of the doctor com
PEELED to swallow his own physic; He
read:
PECULIAR, VERY.
You don't think much Of Callow?"
Wouldn't believe him under oathl'
But he's certainly candid. He told
me he never spoke the truth. "
bah! he lied to you"
That paragraph. dear editor. is not
original, nor pointed, nor amusing.
Upon my word"
I The humorist, though" added the
Embodiment of the Humorous Concep-
ton. ''has one great difficulty to CON
tend with. On the stage it is permitted
to use old contrivances. The same
properties, the same tinsel, the same
/ lights. the same actors may be en-
ployed hundred times on the stage to
produce varying effects. The humorist,
on the contrary, must not only brir g
forth entirely new creations at every
manifestation, but his material must be
wholly original as well as his produc-
ton. He may not employ the same
properties more than once"
Then why your condemnation
asked Mr.. Skinner,
Because TO be simply funny is not to
be humorous. Clowns and testers are
intended to provoke mirth, hut the hui
morist should appeal to our intellect as
well as to our visibility.
I'll tell you what I'll 90, said Mr..
Skinner; I'm let you edit the paper
1 for awhile"
The offer was az cepted.
At the end OF the first month the hui
morous weekly's circulation had drop
ped two-thirds
Wen have to part. said Mr.. Skim
mer; I'm being ruined.
The public must be educated up to
me-" said the Embodiment Of Humor.
Gus Conception.
alt would take a thousand years, "
said Mr.. SKINNER ''you must go!
So he went. The best paragraph in
the next number of the weekly was the
| following:
THE BEST THING TO DO
"Begorra, Mrs. Clancy, me ouid
mans on a tear.
Then let him rip, Mrs. Dennis.
The PAPER is now proving gold mine
for its owners. Life.