Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1897-03-28
THE CABLE GAR JOKE.
Hs Of the Jsded Taste Tells why II Doss
Not Appeal to Him.

He Of the Jsded Taste Tells Why 1t Does
Not Appeal to Him.
az have never been told by my
friends" said the dyspeptic man, "that
1 lacked n sense Of humor." His man.
ner was earnest, although it was per-
fsctly plain hat anybody who had at
tributed such m amiable quality to
him had fattered the man uDconscion-
ably. ~ can see n joke, and / have &C.
cnsionally got OF n few myself that
have made my friends laugh because
they did not happen to like the other
man. Usually they ERE about q man
1 didn't like, come to think Of It. But
at all events, people laughed, and 1 have
never been accused of Hacking II senseo OF
lumor.
"But I refuse to laugh ut the one
thing which is most frequently pre-
scented to me in the light of n joke. l
refuse even to smile ut circumstances
which seemed 10 me deficient in every
element Of humor. But, perhaps, three
or four times every day I am asked, II
not by word, at least by manner, TO ex-
libit hilarity over one particular Incl
dent of the kind 1 mean.
1T confronts me usually in its most
aggravated form at Fourteenth street
and Broadway, or at the corne OF Fiji
ty-third street and Broadway. Then 1t
is liable to occur Mt any other point
along the cable line when n person OF
inferior mentality and an unframed
gripman come into temporary conjunc-
ton. What they want lie 10 smile a:
comes about in this way: The cable
chr dnshes around the curve. Aman
thrown violently forward tramps oil
over my feet, or dashes hcadlong at me,
knocks of my hat, n leaps into my
lap. Then he looks ut me and smiles
at the joke with n gcninlity hat plain.
~ invites me to laugh with him. It's
very funny says his manner unmis-
taknbly, and we'd better laugh to-
gcthcr.' ! am asked TO laugh because
my toes arc crushed, my hat mashed or
clothes mussed. Naturally | refuse TO
respond to any such Invitation. When
| go into any joke Of that kind | want 10
do il voluntarily, md IL I'm to be sub
jected to any such physical strain, l
wont laugh unless I'm allowed to have
a Smuch of n chance ut the game rs the
other fellow. II I'm allowed 10 jump
on his feet, mash his hat, and other
wise damage him, I'll smile back nnd
think the joke just rs good rs he docs.
1T l see no humor in the thing when l
am reading Il newspaper and he goes at
me without IL word OF warning. The
game is too onc-sided to nmuse any but
one Of the men that is in it.
Every time they look into my face
and expect me to laugh Mt anything OF
the kirh, whether IL be n man or u
woman, or only IL 50-Ionnd cash girl
going home from work. I can't help
thinking of the magnificent prospect
for n philanthropist's efforts that very
question opens up. Think of II gen
crous-hearted citizen who would give
some Of his millions toward the cstab-
lishment of n branch of kindergarten
learning by which people would he
taught to ride in cable cars. No more
sudden and DISASTROUS rushcs from one
end Of the car TO the other, n finish 10
the desperate c%lutching ut elusive
straps, and the resulting tumble into
the lap OF the passenger beneath. VIVA;
n saving of narrowed tcmpers. strained
nerves and damaged feet. Possibly some
people would never be able to learn,
but the younger generation might take
to IL. What nm achievement for Il phil
nnthropist! What Il generous use of
tnoney!"-N. Y. Sun.