The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
THE CABLE CAR r.
He OF the Jaded Taste Tells VIII II Does
Not Appeal to Him,

II have never been told by my friends" said
the dyspeptic man. that | lacked "A sense of
humor." His manner was earnest. although II
WAS perfectly plain that anybody who had
attributed such an aminble quality to him had
fattercd tho man Internationally. II can see n
joke, ana have occasionally got or u few my
self that have made my friends laugh because
they did not happen to like the other man.
Usually they were about a man | didn't like.
come totkink OF 1t. But at all events people
laughed, and have never been accused of lack
Ing a sense of humor.
But | refuse to laugh at the one thing which
lie most frequently presented to me In the light
of q joke. | refuse even to smile at circum-
stances which seem to me deficient In every
element of humor. But, perhaps, three or four
times every day | am asked. II not by word, at
least by manner, to exhibit hilarIty over one
particular incident Of the kind | mean.
1T confronts me usually In its most agra
waited form Mt Fourteenth street and Broadway.
or nj the corner OF Fifty-third street and Broad.
way. Then 1t is liable to occur Mt any other
point along the cable line when a person OF In
ferior mentality and an unframed gripman
come into temporary conjunction. Whet they
want me TO smile ut comes about in this way: The
cable ear naShcs around the curve. A man
thrown violently forward tramps all over my
feet, or dashes h%eadlong Mt mo, knocks of my
hat, and leans into my lap. Then he looks at
me and smiles at the joke with n g~cniality that
plainly invites mo to laugh with him. It's
very funnv,' snys his manner nnmistakably.
and wen better laugh together am asked
to laugh because my toes are cru'hed, my hat
mashed or clothes musscd. Naturally | refuse
to respond to any such invitation. when
! go into my joke OF that kind want to do H.
voluntarily, and IL I'm to be subjected to any
snch physical strain, | won't laIrh unlcs, I'm
allowed to have rs much Of arhnncr at tho
game as the other fellow. If I'm allowed to
jump on his feet, mash his hat. and otherwise
damage him, III smile back ana think III" joke
Just ms good ms he docs. liut see no humur in
the thing when am reading n newspaper and
he goes Rt mo without u word Of warming. The
game Ia too one-sided to amuEe amy but one OF
the men that Ia In II.
Every time they lnok into my face and ex-
pect mo to laugh ~ anything OF the kind.
whether II be n man or \ WOMAN, or only n
ninety pound cash girl goinc home fiOn work.
! cant help thinkiiE: Of the magnificent pros
pect for q plilanthronisl's efforts that very
question opensup. Thiuk II u renrr0us Hearted
citizen who would giNs sumr 81 his millions to-
ward the establishment at a branch Of Kinder
gar'en learning by which 20. pie would be
taught 10 Ride In cahlo cars. No more sudden
and disastrous PUSHES from one end ~ the car TO
the other. ~ finish 10 the d"sp rate clutwhins at
elusive straps aud the resulting tumble into the
lap OF the passenger beneath. What a saving
OF narrowed tempers, strained nerves and dam
he able 20 learn. but the younger generation
might take TO IT, What an achievement for
philanthropistl What . generous use OF money!