The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-11
WILL DIE LAUGHING.
A Curious Case of Paralysis of the Muscles
OF the Jaw.
New York Herald.1

MACON, Ca, June 29.-Joseph Oscar
Johnson, who was sent to the County
Hospital the other day, is a most
remarkable person. His physician
tells him that he is destined to die with
smile on his lips. He is paralytic.
His left side is entirely useless, making
his locomotioE slow and difficult, and
rendering it impossible for him to fol-
low bis trade, that ofa locomotive engi-
neer. The stroke that has made him
so unfortunate came on him some two
months ago while he was in the act of
laughing. The result was that the
muscles Of the face which are brought
into play while laughing were either
destroyed or rendered so weak that he
has no control over them whatever.
His condition is now such that while
he fain would cry over his misfortunes
he Is compelled to laugh. 1t is not a
broad and hearty laugh, but silent
laugh, too quiet for aroar and yet more
than smile. 1t is a sort Of cross be-
tween broad grin and a ha-ha-ha.
During recital of his many troubles,
which embrace every species of i'll
luck, he laughs as though it was all
big joke, and in consequence his ap-
peals for aid are migjudged. His story
is an interesting one, especially so when
he endeavored to have as much fun as
Coal Oil Johnnie,
'My name is Joseph Oscar Johnson,
name enough to hang me-" be said,
'and when I reached my majority I
fell heir to $4,000. I wanted to see the
world, and after a trip over the United
States took notion to 60 to South
America. Itwas there that I saw the
breadfruit tree, and I reckon that made
the most impression on me, for I've
been praying for the sight Of a bread
fruit tree ever since. After I spent all
my money I settled in North Carolina,
where I married the daughter of a
smoking tobacco manufacturer, and
she's there now with five of my chill
dren-pooF things. Over here in Trea.
ton, in South Carolina + was fixing an
inspiratoF on an engine when the stroke
came. The doctors say I will always
laugh, that I will die laughing. Do I
laugh at Jokes? Certainly I do, and I
hear some every day so old that they
have whiskers on them, but ! am COM
PEELED to laugh at 'em. Lord knows
don't want to laugh. It's awful hard
on fellow to have to laugh all the
time. Think Of my telling my poor
wife and children good-by and listen
ing to their prayers for my recovery Of
health, and yet laughing as though it
was some funny story they were telling
me. Think Of the pleasures that I |
can't enjoy. If I 60 to church the con-
gregation puts me down as fool; and
it is great deal worse if I 60 to the |
funeral Of even my best friend. + have
been kicked all over the streets because
ladies thought I was laughing at them.
I spent terrible night in the woods |
The rain came down in |
floods and my crippled leg here refused |
to carry me to house ! saw in the dis |
tance where I might obtain shelter. |
Next morning, chilled through and |
through, as hungry as wolf and suf-
fering excruciating agony in every
bone, I crawled in the house and asked !
for bit ofsomething tQ eat. The peo-
Dle saw me laughing and would not
believe my story. I grew almost des-
perate and appealed to them for the
love of heaven to relieve my distress,
but they thought 1 was only joking
and turned me away, No, gentlemen,
my laugh is against me.n
And then, as the tears poured from
bis eyes while he thought over his
he was laughing like hyena.