Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02
SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE.
Robert ]. Burdette Tells About the
Pilgrimage of a Funny Man.
A TALK SPARKLING WITH HUMOR.
The Witty Lecturer Greeted by a Large
and Cultured Audience.
HE FINDS COMFORT FOR EVERY SORROW

Smiling Bob Burdette lectured in the
Carnegie Music Hall, Allegheny, last
night, for the benefit Of the Arch Street NJ.
E. Church. When he stepped upon the
platform he was greeted by an audience
numbering fully 1 200 people. The greeting
was of the warmest possible character and
must have been a source of pleasure
to the lecturer. The subject for the
evening was the pilgrimage of Funny
Man," and although he has delivered the
same lecture in Pittsburg before, its recep-
tion was none the less cordial. He is the
same Burdette, except that he is about a
fore.
The humor began last night when the
speaker started his pilgrim on his journey,
forgetting his baggage, and continued
throughout the lecture. The climax OF the
fun was only reached when, after the audi
ence was adjourned, several sets of arti-
fetal teeth and a peck of shoe buttons were
found scattered over the floor of the hall.
SUNSHINE BEHIND CLOUDS.
Mr.. Burdette took the darkest side of the
most dismal life imaginable, and with the
de1terity which belong to him alone picked
out the very brightest rays of sunshine hid
den beneath the cares and trials of that life.
He spoke with artistic ease and perfection,
and was justly entitled to the enthusiastic
plaudits Of his thoroughly delighted audi
ence. The lecture is largely an aggregation
OF funny stories couched in the speakers
characteristic manner of telling them.
There was at least one original one on the
programme. Burdette was the guest of
friend who keeps hotel somewhere in North
America. They are very saving of bed
clothes out there. Mr.. Burdette got awake
during the night and espied his toes turning
heavenward at the foot OF the bed. He said
if he had been a Chicago man he would
have concluded that the Worlds Fair mon
uments had certainly been erected.
Taking up the troubles and ordinary ills
of life Mr.. Burdette tried to encourage his
audience not to allow trouble to interfere
with their enjoyment and happiness. Some
people are always sick; others are financially
embarrassed and still others are complain
ing about one i'll or another. He never COM
planned about anything. In the next breath
he described his terrible experience with the
neuralgia, it was only toothache, but he
called it neuralgia because he could evoke
greater sympathy; the boils, which devel-
oped into Bavarian tumors with carbuncu-
lar tendencies, and the grip.
A PECULIAR REMEDY.
He once got the earache so bad that the
sides of tine hotel where he stopped bulged
out. The landlord paid him for getting the
ache in the other ear, going on the outside
of the house and bulging the sides of the
hotel back to their proper position.
Mr.. Burdette has visited Greene county
recently. He likes Greene county. He is
particularly struck with the civilization up
there. He found one narrow gauge railroad
and a Democratic majority struggling for
existence. He lectured out there, and
an old friend invited him home for the night.
1t was one of those bitter cold nights when
the stars are frozen SO hard that they look
like piece of glittering steel In the clear sky.
Burdette and his friend walked three miles
through the snow. When they arrived, he was
invited to sit down and put his feet on the
back log while his friend went to the cellar
for something to keep out the cold. Mr..
Burdette thought he had pretty clear idea
of what that meant, but he was completely
astounded when his host appeared a half
hour later with a pitcher of chilled milk
and plate of frozen apples.
Mr.. Burdette closed by telling about a
trip to the old homestead in the middle of
winter and a nights sleep in the garret with
the shingles nearly as wide apart as the
rafters, and where the wind and the cats
came in together through the broken win
dow. 1t was a rough nights sleep, and yet
it was like all other misfortune in lite-it
had its bright side.