Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-30
QUEER SENSE OF HUMOR
savages Are Tempted to Laugh Only When
Some One is Hurt
1t f. Characteristic of Civilized
Man to BE Able to Enjoy
Joke.
From the Boston Pest.

1 from the Boston Pest.
| The laugh. which is now so closely asso-
| ciated with good humor and kindly feel
| ing, originally implied nothing of the sort.
1t expressed almost the reverse; it was the
| crow of triumph over fallen foe.
| Such is its nature still among savage and
barbarous peoples, and it's unexpected
manifestations are occasionally very start
ling. Dancing on the body of a FRUSTRATED
| enemy is to them hilarious business; the
writhing of victim under torture is the
funniest thing imaginable; new device for
torment is clever jest; the inflicting Of a
CHASTITY wound as some poor wretch
| runs the gauntlet makes them yell with
| gee. The things that shock or horrify or
! disgust the civilized man are about the only
| things worth laughing at from a savage's
point of view.
! With the exception. therefore, of rough
| practical jokes which may possibly wrin-
| kle his stolid features with a momentary
| grin. the barbarian has no appreciation Of
| civilized humor he can't see where the fun
comes in If nobody is hurt. This was Gu
| riously illustrated not long ago, when a
| considerable number of Cinnamon went to
| New York theater to burlesque per-
| formance When the American part of the
| audience laughed, the delegation from Chi
| natown sat with faces absolutely blank;
but the moment any hint of brutality, ira
gedy or tears appeared on the stage, their
heavy features lighted and were wreathed
| IN smiles. 1t was a strange thing to wit
ness, but it was all in perfect keeping with
the cruel instincts of their race
| Even the knowledge that he is himself
10 De the next victim does not spoil the
| run of cruel spectacle for a barbarian
| thoroughbred Here is an instance:
| A number of Siamese who had been en-
| Gagged In a bloody revolt, We're captured
| red-hinded and sentenced to military exc
| cutlon. A platoon of soldiers was drawn
Il cd
| doomed men were led out in squads of five
or six to be shot, while those who were
| waiting their turn stood by under guard
| looking on. When the first voley was
| nreo' the victims. torn by the storm Of bull
| lets, leaped into the air with violent con-
| tortlons and fell dead. And this to the
Eoor WretcheS who were about to go
through the same experience. seemed SO
me snow and so excrucatingly funny
| that they were fairly convulsed with laugh
ter!
Such is the humor Of savages. and such
| uouotless, were the beginnings of mirth
| the world over. Strange as il may SEEM
| there are mary hints of this barbarous
origin in the fun of the most highly civ
llZed We no longer laugh at really tragic
occurrences, 1t Is true, for other and more
humane emotions are too strongly excited
| But II We chance to see a ridiculous mis-
ap winch does not quite rise to the dig
| LILY OF traSedy-an accident by which some
one Is greatly Inconvenience and ANNOYED
| nant OF the savage breaks loose in us and
we laugh till the tears come Why else
| are We amused when we see a well dressed
man thrown sprawling in the mud or delug-
ed with dirty water from an upper win
dow or driven up Il tree by a cross dog or
an ugly bull? Instances might be multi
piled without limit.
III IS noticeable that children often laugh
at Things which do not muse adults bur
on the contrary, shock and pain them
| nat IS because the child's finer sensibli-
Ties are as yet imperfectly developed; he
Is sun near the savage stage. There is !,
very prevalent sentiment 10 the contrary.
but this is the fact.
IN proportion as men tecome truly civil
lzed, however, their sense of humor be-
comes refined, and they revolt at any sug-
sestion of brutality. Yet il is worthy of re-
marx that the gentlest among us are fire.
quehtiy amused at Il picture or d story rep
resenting things the actual occurrence of
which would shock us greatly Even here
| our iun shows faint Renaissance of its
cruel origin.
All OF which goes to show that nothing
laugh. ~