Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-23
LAUGHING HIMSELF 10 DEATH.
THE PECULIAR AFFLIcTioN WHICH
HAS BEFALLEN a SOLEMN
LOOKING MAN.



a solemn.vlsagsd man OF middle age,
win an expression Of pain Oh his face,
giving vent TO continuous laughter 20
follicking and mirthful M 10 convulse
those who heard, II attracted general
attention OH the ferry steamer Pied
mont. The man occupied = seat on
the lower deck noar the lunch cou inter-,
ana though there seemed 70 be nAught
70 excite even while, he eat holding
Ills sidee and laughed and chucklcd
lmazingly. He was poorly dressed,
trout 70 years OF age, and wore long,
urooping mustache, which during the
intervals when he was free from ap-
parent merriment gave 10 his face .
sad and solemn look totally ut variance
with the Joy his hearty laughter APP
Feared 10 Indicate had complete possess
sion Of his ,pirIts.
VI am suffering with q disease SINH
lar TO hysteria," said he after ono OF
bls cnchinnatory Uutbursts that shook
bis frame NJ " with the sgue. ~
don't know how it look possession OF
me, but up TO Ave years ago l was
like other men. Now Pm a total
wreck, and am slowly but surely
laughing myself 10 death.n
hhVAHNA az Vh anu Aslt
gave vent 10 such q hearty peal OF
laughter that a large aud curious
crowd gathered about aud gazed al
him in maztment While no WINS
struggling TO IopTess the sound that
Issued from his lips n look OF intense
pain spread over hts wrlnkleG face
and tehfs stood Ia his eyes.
people think Pm drunk said he,
rAnF.fftIlIH NuhAn lhAn "A
away, "but do not drink drop on
the advice Of my doctor. My name?
Well, my name ~ John French and
I'ye just come from Kansas TO RTE "
| can get ever my trouble here. You
SEQ its mighty provoking to get laugh
Ing fits every ten minutes Ia the day
and to wake up at night chuckling NJ
to wake tho dead. It's downright
painful and every time these fits come
on II seems M II my innards were
being torn out % me with n machine,
A doctor In ksnsas City examined
me year ago and no says II Is spasmo.
die oonvuleiUns, or something like
that, Of tho wlnipipe. a epirlualist
doctor said II was laughing spirit as
possesiei me, but | don't believe In
spirits. Well, anyhow, it's awfully
bothersome. can't 20 to church,
resta urants, or a funeral without laugh-
ing 1T TO kill and all the time Pm do.
ing II Pm wishing were dead"
The gloomy expression OF Mr..
Frenoh's face gave way at this June.
ture 10 one OF apparent Joy, for another
spasm had seized him. IL was an un-
usually long one In duration, and
when the tit had passed away he
sighed heavily, Ms II in pain.
~ remember some time ago passing
house before which stood hcarne,0
said he rsiiectively. 81 stopped to see
the funeral cortege, aud lust Ms the
pill-besrers appeared n fit took me,
and laughed until was sore. A
crowd gathered and l was nearly mob-
bed before l could explain matters.
Another time l went TO church and the
preacher talked Of the solemnity OF
death ana the vanities OF this life,
and lust In the middle OF his discourse
felt the laughing 1T coming on. /
got up ina hurry, but before | went ten
steps you could hear my laugh echo
from wall 90 wall. They thought |
was crazy, and | came near being
arrested. Another time"-
French was interrupted by another
spasm, which continued until the
Piedmont was fastened to the wharf.
Then as he took Market street car
he said bitterly;
"a dime museum manager In
Omaha offered mo $50 week to ira
vel with him as tho champion laugh.
ing freak Of the nineteenth century,
and think | will accept the offer un-
le,s can be cured. Maybe, II don't,
/ will commit-ha, ha, hal"
AZ the car eped up Market street
his ringing laugh was still heard,
but the secret Of the malady that Is
wearing his life away he keeps locked
up ia his breast, while men smile pity
ingly upon him and say; "a light
| touch Of snakes"