The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-05
PULLING LAUGHTER
A Chastity jest that should Rather
Canne n Shudder


Here Is question which Il writer in
"'The Contributors Club OF the AZ
aafie passes on to the public, and
which any one at all familiar with
Nerestschagin's wonderful pictures
will find interesting. lie calls It . fuz-
cling Laughter and says:
There is kind of hufnor and A
sense of the ridiculous which. though
always grotesque and often repulsive
in It's manifestation, IL also very pa
thetic, and has always been very CON-
prehensible to me. IL has it's birth in
the vivid realization OF violent con-
trast between ones hopes, desires or
expectations and some painful reality.
A few rhymes We're published soon
after the aignfali OF the Paris conn
nsune. IN which occurred O, touching
specimen of the CHASTITY ntirfh that
comics when lips CULVER through n
smile. The lines were supposed 10 be
spoken by girl as she went with her
lover 10 the place where they were To
be executed together. The time was
May, and she and he were TO have
been married in Jnne sfproll. she
says. and one faneies the eonyulsiye
shrug Of her shoulder 'drssil 10 be
dead II. this bright weather. =
But the laughter which he finds
pukxling was OF different Aort
While was in the gallery. Yer
esisshagIEi was showing the pictures to
the crowd. talking about them in
Quietly broken English. He paused
before one In which the foreground
was Oiled with tie figures oil men re-
Gently slain in hattie and lying on the
ground where they had diest. In the
baf aground the general. accompanied
siy officers, Was represented riding in
front OF bis victorious army, 10 whom
he was addressing words OF triumph
ant copgratnlation. The soldiers were
tossing their caps in The air aud cheer
ing, They were all seen 10 I've excited
with delight. The painter described
their Wild Joy, and added. \ was there
myself at the time. Was riding Just
behind the general. /. too. was very
much elated AZ the victory We had
won. Bnt observed that the dead
men on the field were not eisl.eu. ~
This speech seemed ta rae pregnant
with terrible ethical Suggestions Ii
was calmly delivered, aud the crowd
81 hearers hrose into = general Sbncl le
a. Il Il had hcen pleasant hit OK wit.
| vert away ponderlng, seeking 70 dis
cover the motive az the laughter. Vas
Il hue II The persistent levity og that
social habit which tries 90 make of ali
events. ideas and human rhsracferi>t 4.
les material for repartee and occasion
Ter a fnisth that masks aS cseyernesS -
tAe habit which induces such constant
expectation 81 epigrams anil huaur.
Gus expressions that men are some
simeS led thereby to slip in their ua.
Outstanding and "a LAUGH as a sentence
that has the sound ri wit without per
ceiying that lis signsiie ance i serious
ar sad
soon after this morning. CHANGED
20 Re in sife company of some lasiie.
and gentlemen who were DISCUSSING
terssstschsEin' pictures. and his pur.
pose in painting them | rsd them
what had heard bim say about ths
eorpses that did not share lin the tri
! mTnphaas gice ot the living soldisTs .ant
when | repeated his words NV listen.
ers also laughed
he cannot understand wthy they
should have laughed Setahurn.
asked The question sadly. long ago
and gave no answer
ssSAeali Que she'd sesrs OF fall 10 ian9hse
Al saxAf 81 ali these poog ola dead