Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-07
GAZETTE SHORT TALKS.

We have many humorous writers, so
termed, or so considered by themselves but
comparatively few of them are properly en-
titled TO the appellation, owing 10 the fact
that they really have no correct conception
OF what it takes to constitute true humor.
Webster defines humor as meaning that
quality of the Imagination which gives to
ideas avid and fantastic turn, and tends to
excite laughter or mirth by ludicrous
images or representations. This is cor
rect so lar as it goes, but Mr.. Webster
might have carried his definition much
further Humor, in writings especially,
must bear upon some well-known truth in
such way as to rouse responsive chord
in the reader through its easy application.
A large per cent of our humorous
writer's do not think of this. They ad-
vance what they consider funny ideas,
without said ideas having any particular
association with anything beyond them
selves. As a consequence, those ideas fall
fiat without at all producing the effect in
tended.
One of the most truly humorous writers
making use of the English language was
Rev. Richard Harris Barham, an English
poet who wrote under the nom de plume of
Thomas Ingoldsby, Esq" His works
make two large volumes under title OF the
''Ingoldsby Legends Every idea ad-
vanced by him had something to back it
that the reader could not miss, as, for eX-
ample, the following from his story Of
Winnifred Pryce:
Look at the clocl6!' qroth Winnifred Pryce,
AS she opened the door 10 her husbands
knock,
Then paused TO give him a bit OF advice,
you nasty warmth look at the clockl
Is this the way, you
Wretchl every day you
Treat her who vowed TO love and obey you'll
Out all night
Me in q fright.
ifs met 10 irb+
You intoxicated brute you insensible block!
Look at the clockl do look ut the clock!'"
OF course there could be no great amount
of humor in this for Texas, where husbands
are supposed to never stay out late at
night, but it must have been extremely
funny for less-orderly England.
Apparently not willing 10 turn all the
laugh on the men, Mr.. Barham goes on to
show up what manner of woman was Win
nifred Pryce-possibly he desired TO oIier
an excuse for the late hours kept by Mr..
Pryce:
,,winnifred Pryce was tidy and clean,
Her gown was fower'd one-reodish and
Her buckles as bright as her own milking cans,
And her hat was q beaver and made ike
mans;
Her little red eyes we're set deep in their
sockGt-holes,
And her dress was turned up and tucked into
face like ferrit
Betokened her spirit;
70 conclude, Mrs. Pryce, she was not very
young
Had very short limbs and very long tongue"
All we'll know that there are no Mrs.
Pryces in Texas, and that, therefore,
Texans never have an excuse to stay out
ate at night. -
If you will permit US to pursue this sub
lect one step further. we will refer you to
the writings of Charles Dickens. MIR. Dick
Ems was always regarded as writer OF
genuine humor. As an illustration of how
ne made his huInor stick every time, take
what he says in Pickwicls Papers, about
The person who has been so unfortunate as
10 have his hat blown OFF by the wind;
There are" he says, every few moments
IN mans existence when he experiences
so much ludicrous distress, or meets with
so little charitable commiseration, as when
he is in pursuit of his own hat" This
strikes every Texan in the region of the
risables, on account of the fact that no man
could pass q summer on the broad prairieS
of the Lone Star state, and attempt TO wear
hat at the same time, who would not, by
practical demonstration, arrive at clear
understanding of what Mr.. Dickens had in
his mind when he wrote.
-
A mention of MIR. Dickens leads US to
think of quoting for GAZETTE readers lit
lie poem published in Dickens Household
Words away back in the later forties, but
never reprinted in this country that we are
lware of. 1t refers 10
DEW
'sOh dearest mother, tell me prayl
Why are the deW drops gone so soon?
Could they not stay till close of day
To twinkle in the iowery spray.
Or on The fields till noon"
my child. it's said such beauteous things,
Too often loved with vain excess,
Are swept away by angel wings
Before contamination springs
To mar their loneliness.
Behold yon rainbow. frightening yet,
TO which All mingled hues are given;
There are thy dew drops, proudly set,
In q resplendent coronet
Upon tie brow OF heaven"
sss
The dew-drops are with US still, so are
che rainbows, but those forties referred to