The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
WHY DOES WOMAN LAUGH?
CAN IT DE TINT, AFTER ALL, SHE
mas 4 SENSE OF HUMOH?
women Make Jokes Of Their own, and Can
RecoEniHe Other Jokes ut sight. while
u Perception or Honor II n sixth sense
to so'ne-A wonnn's view or the Matter.

mas opiIIohs htout everything you oan think OF.
That constitutes her one manner OF prophet.
She expresses her opinions. That makes an
oracle OF her. When Cnssandra speaks every
body listens. That is, everybody that agrees
With her and even a few of those who don't.
When Cassandra has spoken, those who dis
agree with her remain silent. CaesRndra Ia so
reasonable. We shouid never encourage dis.
cusaion with reasonable people. How unpar-
donlble Is II reasonable and logical opponents
Such argucrs should be simply ignored. That is
the way to treat Cassandra. Those who disagree
with her simply smile upon her with 4 tolerant
expression calculated to damn all previous ar
gumcnt. Then they 10 out and refute all that
she has s6idi Where she can't hear them.)
Cassandra has been nickuamed Defender OF
the Faith in Woman. In this direction she has
a large capacity for admiration. But, when she
can't honestly admire IA crisis which occurs with
saddeninG frequency, she exoneratcs. You
would think Cassandra was the mother of all
women. She has for them a Partially which is
more like mother love than any other emotion.
Some ineiruations are as u frcbraad to Cas-
sandra's eloquence. You should hear her on tho
allegation that women have no sense OF humor.
1t seems as if she wouldn't mind it nearly 30
much II people said women were all color blind.
II you had heard her the other nichti
"On, IL repeating a thing could make 1t true"
she began with assumed carelcssness, women
would never smilo again. We have been told
over and over ngain. collectively, individually,
contidentially, ~brltally, but always conclusive.
IL, that We have no sense OF humor. II we took
t,is statement rs seriously as it is made, we
would never again have the impertinence to see
n Joke"
"Oh. women can see certain kinds Of jokes"
objected the unhappy man who had begun it;
" but to have a sense Of humor is different. you
know"
How do I know" replied Cassandra, eft. as
you say. l have no sense Of humor
"Of course Idid not mean you, personality"
protested the man.
IL knowi l know! I course! You mean that
more women than men are lacking In humor.
Without intending to offend you, my dear sir,
let me suggest that you don't know anything at
all about it. You keep on-I mean that men as
a class keep on-pufinG out their cheeks and
SAYING grandly that women have no sense of
humor. And all the time women keep on filling
the world with the sound OF their laughter.
Now there are Just two questions to be
asked: Why do they Taught and, Is there any
thing humorous in what they are laughing at
You admit that they do laugh, I suppose" and
Cassandra paused.
o Lord. yes!'
IF l had n sense of humor." remarked Cas-
sandra, with a twinkle in her eye, II should
IhuBu at lnlS point. As IL Is, 1 snail continue TO
treat the subject seriously, as follows: First,
= my people! doesn't the nature OF humor seem
particularly akin TO that o. womanl Humor 10
more kindly. more subtle. more delicate than
wit. wit ia like ligh ming gleaming through o
:, adow;, humor is ike a ray OF sunshine steal.
slowly fading. TO leave a delicious glow"
Decidedly Cassandrs was of for one OF her
hig4 Rrnon ,o IT.. ,..
women as a class. 1t isn't that they fail to see
the humor. hut they don't like its form OF ex.
keerly appreciate a bit OF broad humor. pro-
yidoi there is enough hqmor in 1t to cover the
lions than men do. That 10 why men are con-
t!nually being surprised that a woman will
l.u.h at certain things and will decline TO smile
81 will admit. too" pursued Cassandra. that
there are times when women haven't any use
for a joke. be it HUMOROUS, witty. or just a plain
yellow dog sort OF joke. II things are breaking
that they dress themselves up as clowns. And
yet women can sec what is called grim huinor
man hadn't any money with him. and the beggnr
WAS no fourth one on that trip.
fel, Ike a kick.
"a also know a girl who was walking a mile in
the POURING rain because she had lost hcr car are.
She. too. was aCcoslcd by a beggar. n bccry am
!: ~ q" woman. who asked for tan cents.
~I.attcvs to the old woman. and the two went
their ways. cnuckling in spite OF r IN ana empty
poCkSlb. 1 KNOW lHt RlTl well enough 10 assert
that she would have seen the hun1r OF the hing
even unto the third and The fourth bcggar.
"Women-soulc OF thcm-evcn see the humor
In n Joke which 10 strictly on themselves. There
& no kecncr tcst. l have known women who
we're under the innreisi9n that some particular
out thai the particular man WAS in love with
SOME one else, ana who h'v" Jeen intensely
anus at their own expense. II a woman can
see the humor in such a situation. why, | think
she you'd miss any Of it IT. ,Gne Ter Way"
man. "Ilow about ga ing humorous things e.
Here was a demand for facts, Would Cnssan-
well" she remarked deliberately. II was
1!u!rg With some friends the other evening. l
mother until that evening. She was irrCSistibly
jolly, and enthusiastic. and we hung Upon her
,Hs a.,a fb5neliy some hsf , 2ns said %srs pH ,sr nios Dt to
they could not compare n our estimation with
Their mother ,or Tae 1,t SsI yns' T1Ey one OF them I. ,:
she Is so glad she has a mother she can enjoy
essence OF huulor. and Cassandra scored a point.
"A that same dinner table" she went on
four child stories. and ! don't think any OF us
missed the humor OF them. First, she told Of q
f FaeSch T hoy o 81 About n nf' IS own S"n d Risy' F T.t% ( f IS ise
language OF the pair Of little folks because the
lll dms d psri S $ n GGe; IN tb Tnd f,r, and sI En & 4:
presence OF The youthful American He secuted
The sn iaG Tnu, fe'; i1 q sorr LIZ - s, siS? to& did ih. Sndss'
when the little Am ritan ftid ciien, how, II you
please, would the small Pnrisian know 1t meant
dog II he didn't understand English q
The man Laughed at this, hut there was "A
strained look in his eye. which seemed TO hint
that the midnight oil and the French dictionary
would sit up with him that nisht.
without waiting for any body TO catch up,
CasSRndra proceeded:
THE same cir! told about a little girl who
has q little brother. some one; who was cvl,
IDENTIFY rather vague on the family data. asked
tAe ..ttle girl Il her brother was in short skirts
yet. In short skirts: was the reply. why
he's in quilts!.
And" continued Cassandra, placing a strict
time limit oil the laughter, there was another
little girl, and some ono asked her whore her
big sister WAS. Gone to the Christian an BOWL
Society. said the little girl"
There was a shout at this, and Cnssandra
warmed TO her sublect.
Speaking Of r%9ligioqs societies." she OBJ
Of huInor gsrnerod myself when ! was H.
Edinburgh; We were sttyinG with a Scotcl
family, and there was an elderly aunt visiting
thoie from the Highland country. She used tC
Bpcak Gaelic at orr request, and she assured us
that IL was a fine language Tor seeding, 'yt
got such a Rrr.rip o. the Words She was deep
r. m crested in our religious proclivities, ant
aElcd my friend what church she attended.