The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
DIsPosING OF A BORE.

Anderson Roe is a man of infinite compre-
hension. He can discover jokes in more I'M
heard-of places and enjoy his discovery
more keenly than any man in the club. He
seems to realize intuitively the presence of
a funny picture, even before he has scanned
the pages of the paper that gave it birth.
BY reason of his superior skill
in these matters Anderson has con-
stituted himself sort of a self
installed preceptor of witticism. For
mere good of the cause he will enlarge upon
a point, that the dullest of minds may grasp
it's humor Ne meaning is too obscure for
him, and he has been known to laugh at the
reprints from English periodicals. Ander-
son thoroughly enjoys his position and has
been the means of provoking much strained
laughter and still more unrestrained pro-
family.
Perhaps you have met Anderson Roe. If
you frequent the reading room you most
certainly have. He is the first man in, and
the last man out. Personally he is not
bad fellow, but the moment he possesses
himself of funny paper, Mr.. Hyde crops
out Ere he turns the outside cover of the
magazine he is grinning and chuckling in
anticipatory mirth. He laughs outright at
the first picture, and when his hilarity has
subsidized looks about him for a victim. No
amount of diligent reading will render you
sacred from interruption. He has found d
good thing and must infiict it upon some
body. If you are engaged in conversation,
so much the better. With single bound he
is upon you, thrusting the inoffensive ar
ticle before your face and leaning over your
shoulder with bated breath, ready at the
slightest signal from you to break into
merry laughter 1t is unwise to remain I'M
moved under such circumstances; you only
prolong the punishment. For if prompt re-
Spouse is not made, Anderson, with infinite
pains, will explain the whole thing and call
your attention to any salient feature that
you make have overlooked. Thus we all
laugh on the slightest provocation and
have become wonderfully appreciative lot
1t is worse than useless to at
tempt a flank movement on him
by saying that you have seen it
before. This will necessitate his hunt
ing up something that you have not seen.
Between attacks Anderson chuckles diabol-
icaly to himself. and we all live in nervous
dread of coming events The result has been
the reading room has lost interest for many
members OF the club, or had UP until ten
days ago; since that all is changed. Elipha-
let Weller. vas duly and truly proposed and
found well qualified for membership. There
were at first loud murmurs of dissensiOn
for Eliphalet was known TO have caddish
propensItieS, but few words from Rogers
who had vouched for him, explained mat
tiers. El1phalet dropped in early Thursday
night. 1t could not have been more than
o'clock. We had saved the latest papers for
him, and promptly steered him into the
reading room. A few moments later Ander-
son Roe arrived, and while he removed his
oVercoat cast suspicious glances al the in
truder. 1t was PLAIN TO all that Anderson re-
sented his appropriation of all the newest
papers, but ascr1bed the trespass to ignor-
Some presented nd xyn he
seated himself he continued the same af-
frOnted, aStOnished stare Not long how
ever, in the interim, Eliphalet had stumbled
upon side-spitting sketch, and too late
Tor prevention Anderson realized that Eli
phalet was about TO show it to him. Every
coming fray. Anderson, recovering from
his momentary confusion, tented and came
back with a neat thing of Weary Wilie's
Eliphalet then gave him a brisk upper cut
from the Bowery and was countered with a
singing cartoon from the Irish. Anderson
thereupon handed him strong right from
Reuben Hayseed and he went to his corner
This ended the first round.
Having seen that they were in the same
class, we left them alone. From the pro-
longed merrfment that could be heard, even
above the crash of billiard balls and the
rattle of falling cards, we were fam to be-
lieve that they We're having one continuous
they have been at one another, apparently
oblivious of all else. Rogers suggests that
we mt up a room expressly for them, and
lock them in each evening. The more hui
name Of us, however, object to such heart
less cruelty 1t is OF course, only question
in the end the padded cell fcE both. Mean