Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-01-14
LAUGHING TO DEATH.
Tho Peculiar Addiction which Hiss lie.
fallen solemn-LoolSing Man,
Ma hA ha! Ho no. no!


.IIa ha ha! Ho ho. no!
A visaged man Of middle
age with an expression OF pain upon
| his face giving vent to continuous
laughter so rollicking aud mirthful as
to eonyulse those who heard IL Mt
tracted general attention on tho ferry
steamer Piedmont
Tho man occupied a scat on tho
\ lower deck near the lunch counter
aud though there seemed TO be naught
to excite even smile he sat holding
his sides and laughed and chuckled
/ amazingly. He was poorly dressed.
about IS years OF age and wore a
4 long dropping mustache which dur
! ing the intervals when he was free
4 from apparent marrlment gave 20 his
/ face a sad and solemn look. totally az
/ variance with tho ioy his hearty
4 laughter appeared 10 Indicate had
/ complete possession OF his spirits
Il am suffering with u disease sim.
liar 10 hysteria, sad no to san
/ Francisco Examiner reporter after
/ one OF his cachlnnntory outbursts
4 that shook his frame as IL with ague.
II don't kuow how il took possession
I OF me but up 10 ave years ago | Was
/ like other men. Now | am total
4 wreck. and am slowly but surely
4 laughing myself 20 death.
/ Another tlt came on and the fellow
I gave vent TO such hearty peag5 OF
laughter that large and curious
crowd gathered about and ga1ed at
I him In amazcment While no Was
/ struggling TO repress the sounds that
issued from his lips q look u intense
J pain spread over his wFinkled face
\ and tears stood ia his eyes
/ People think I'm drunk said hG
rogretiully, when this spasm passed
away. but do not drink a drop on
the advice OF my doctor My name7
Well my name II John French. aud
/ I've Just come frOn Kansas 10 see il /
cant get over my trouble here You
see its mighty provoking 10 get
laughing fits every ten minutes Ia The
I day and wake up ~ night chuckging
/ liz to wake the dead. It's downright
/ painful and everytime these iits como
on il seems as II my innards were
I being torn out o mo with a machine
"A doctor 81 Kansas City examined
/ me a year ago aud he says il 4
4 spasmodlc commissions. or something
/ like u o! the windpipa A splrigualgst
y doctor said 1t was laughing spirit
as possessed me but / don't believe
/ Ia spirits Well any how. It's awtuliy
/ bOthersomc. cant 20 10 church
restaurants o. funeral without
laughing flt 70 kill. and an the limo
I'm doing il I'm wishing wore dead. "
Tho gloomy expression on Mr.
French's face gave way at this June.
tnrS to one o. apparent ioy. for IA.
other spasm had seized him. II was
an unusually long nuo 10 duration
and when the III had passed away hs
I sighed heavily. as II in pain.
- remember sometime ago passing
a house before which stood a hcarss {"
said no rchectiveiy Il stopped 10
sec the funeral cortegc. and just az
tho pail. bearers appeared III took
me and laughed until was sore. A
crowd gathered aud was nearly
mohbed before could explain mat.
/ ters
Another time | went 10 church
and the preacher talked OF tho sol.
/ emnity Of death and the yanlties Of
this life and just 10 the middle OF hls
discourse felt the laughing III CON.
ing on. got up In hurry. but be.
fore | wont ten steps you could hear
my laugh echo from wall 10 wall.
They thought was crazy. aud camS
near being arrested. Another time Il.
rench was interrupted by mother
/ spnsm. which continued until the
Piedmont was fastened to the wharf
Then. as he took n Market street car
he sad bitterly
"A dime museum manager in
Omaha offered mo $50 a week 10
travel with him MS the champion
laughing freak Of the nineteenth cen.
fury. and think / will accent tho
offer unless ] can be- cared. Maybe
u ! don't | will commit ha hn
hnr'
As the car sped up Market street
his ringing laugh was still heard but
the secret Of the maiady that Is wear.
Ing his life away he Keeps locked mn
in his breast whilc men smile pitv.
ingly upon him and say: "a itght
touch OF snakes
WHY auicksand. ARC Danucyo,..
The reason pcrson sinks in quick