Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-03-06
TIE CABLE GAR JOKE.
He Of the JAded THsto Tells Why It Does
Not Appeal to Him.


Not Appeal to Him.
II have never been told by nv
friends" said the dyspeptic man, that
lacked sense Of .humor." His man.
ner waS earnest, although it was per
feetly plain that anybody who had at
tributed such an amiable quality to
him had fattered the man unconscion-
ably. Il can see joke, and I have oc-
casionally got of q few myself that
have made my friends laugh because
they did not happen to like the otk er
man. Usually they were about man
didn't like, come to think of it. But
ut all events, people laughed, and have
never been accused of lacking sense of
humor.
But I refuse to laugh at the one
thing which IL most frequently pre-
sented to me in the light of joke.
refuse even to smile at circumstances
which seemed to me deficient in every
element of humor. But, perhaps, three
or four times every day am asked, if
not by word, at least by manner, to ex-
hibit hilarity over one particular Incl
dent of the kind mean.
cit confronts me usually in its most
aggravated form at Fourteenth street
and Broadway, or at the corner of Fiji
ty-third street and Broadway. Then it
is liable to occur at any other point
nlong the cable line when a person of
inferior mentality and an unframed
gripman come into temporary conjunc-
ton. What they want me to smile at
comes about in this way: The cable
car dashes around the curve. a man
thrown violently forward tramps all
over my feet, or dashes headlong Mt me,
knocks of my hat, and leaps into my
lap. Then he looks at me and smiles
at the joke with a geniality that plain
ly invites me to laugh with him. It's
very funny says his manner unmis-
takably, and we'd better laugh to-
gcther.' I am asked to laugh because
my toes are crushed, my hat mashed or
clothes mussed. Naturally refuse to
respond to any such invitation. When
I go into any joke of that kind want to
do it voluntarily, and if I'm to be sub
jected to any such physical strain,
won't laugh unless I'm allowed to have
as much of a chance at the game as the
other fellow. If I'm allowed to jump
on his feet, mash his hat, and other
: sc uduihBc nuu, l. IL BLIlll0 DUCK a1O
think the joke just as good as he does.
'iut see no humor in the thing when
I'M reading a newspaper and he goes at
me without a. word of warning. The
game is too one.sided to amuse any but
one of the men that is in it.
"Every time they look into my face
and expect me to laugh at anything of
the kind, whether it be man or "a
woman, or only 0O-pound cash girl
going home from work, can't help
thinking of the magnificent prospect
for philanthropist's efforts that very
question opens up. Think of q gen.
erous-hearted citizen who would give
some of his millions toward the estab-
lishment of branch of kindergarten
learning by which people would be
taught to ride in cable cars. No more
sudden and disastrous rushes from one
end of the car to the other, finish to
the desperate clutching ut elusive
straps, md the resulting tumble into
the lap Of the passenger beneath. What
a saving Of narrowed tempers, strained
nerves and damaged feet. Possibly some
people would mover be able to learn.
but the younger generation might take
to IL. What an achievement for phil
anthropisti What q generous use OF
moneyl"-N. Y. Sun.