Fergus County argus., 1890-04-24
Helena .Iournal.l

the leading humorist in the world,
introduces IL thought on the funny
side OF life. Helena has seldom en-
joyed "a finer literary treat than
that afforded by the irrepressible
champion Of wit. There is n delicacy
and drollness in his humor hat makes
him master of the situation before
any audience, and the subtle vein Oi
sarcasm pointed with unerring aim at
the absurdities and incongruities oi
life. convert his productions into philo-
sophical tramways that educate the
mind to a practical order of things,
while they reach out after the risi-
bilities.
We do not wish to call Mr.. Nye any
hard names or east any reflections
upon his character, but candor com
pels III To say that he is n reformer as
well as humori>t. That peculiar and
inexhaustible field oi humor pre-
empted by Nye in the halcyon days
oi the Laramie Boomerang, enable his
tentacles of wit to seize an infinite
variety oi topics from the pith OF
which philosophy, clothed in humor, is
remorselessly extracted. by showing
the absurdity of things To he avoided
he has brought up his humor in the
way it should 90.
II was "A happy thought that led Mr..
Nye into that broad field of observa-
ton where the weary cease from
troubling and the wicked are at rest
1t gives him literary swoop wherein
lc can treat an adminlst rative prob
lem or n ease of mumps with equal
lortltude and tap the great fount ain
of public applause. lie Is the one
exponent ol focalized sunshine to
whom the world accorlS he lull meas
ure oi praise. And one of the most
interest ing SIDE i~>iles in his career j.
the mod.~iy with which his laurelS are
worn. lie l. Il most companlonabl.
gentleman. who l. as de'old oi egoi ism
as he is ol hair. The rapidiiy with
which he has come to he front, as the
foremost humori~' oi his time, has in
no sense dimmrd the lustre of his
pleasant individuality in the daily
cont acts of life.
The philosophy OF humor is an in
terestine study. \ so-called humor.
i-t whose mind X built on the adobe
plan and whose pungent outbursts oi
Wit bear AN almanacial odor. has com
piled a discourse on "'rhe Philosophy
of liumOr." The discourse is chiefly
valuable to itscompiler. Eli Perkins,
" ho has used it from time Immemorial
as u counter-irritant for hotel bills;
but il contains nothing funny, useful
or philosophical. Ii man is of Pres
byterian descent and has been reared
with his bedroom window overloook-
ing country graveyard, and ha,
never been permitted to laugh abov,
a whisper, he may enjoy Ellis descrip
tion OF "A clergyman falling into an
ash barrel, but the balance OF the
lecture will only provoke a desire to
leave the speaker to his fate.
The Great ion OF faculties ior the en-.
joyment OF the funny side OF lite dem
onstrates the existence OF a phil
osophy to govern their expressions
I'm its normal condition human nature
requires the recuperative powers OF a
laugh to maintain n proper balance
The man who never laughs is crank
lie is enveloped by cloud OF gloom
and i'm action, If not i'm theory is q
pessimist who deeply sympathizes witt
himself because he has outlived tn,
crack OF doom. Ill health may burr
the humor out OF mans soul-acci
| dents are sometimes unavoidable
But the healthy man or woman, who
from a false conception OF dignity
stransles the God-2iven impulse to
enjoy the sunshine of life. perpetrate,
an injustice upon Nature, who reap'
her revenge in due time.
The sober side of life is freckled will
tears and made uncanny 10y the reali
ties of misfortune. They come IA,
unwelcomed guests to the heart. In
>elf-imposed durance they bide theil
time, leaving cheerless memories il
| their leaNe-taking. But much of sor
row is i'm troubles borrowed or il
gloomy revivals of buried events. To
| dispel these factors of human misery
humor steps in and engages in merr!
wrestle for a place in the storm-tosseo
heart.
Humor should he cultivated, en-
couraged, respected. The true humor
ist is n missionary, preaching th'
gospel OF happy hearts from the pulpit
of goodfellowship. 1t must not b,
imagined that the humorist phys hi
vocation on flowery beds OF ease. |
jokecould give IA biography OF it sell
| and dei all its struggles in climbin.
! from the medula oblongata througl
| the various nerve TISSUES to the uppe
deck of the cerebrum, spraining som'
of its principal features by violent
/ contact with the dura mater mem
/ hrane. II would be an intcrest ING met
aphysical advertisement. Then i
sometimes falls upon the public eal
/ like a douhle-barrclrd dlrge, and thu
4 humori~t passes to his final rewar,
before ii i gathered up. dissected ap
preciated and laughed at. Sponta
neity l. he hirthright OF few. Humor
like logic, must feed upon the fruits q
/ labor representing broad know leds
OF human nature and the affairs tina
agitate the world. IT. mission j. ,
! noble one.