Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-03-11
QUEER IDEAS OF FUN.
SAVAGES WHO LAUGH ONLY WHEN
SOME ONE is HURT.

The Writings of Victim Under
Torture Send Them Into Frenzy
of Northumberland nj Punishmeats
That Evoke YcIIs of Glcc.
The laugh, which Is now so closely
associated with good humor and kindly
feeling, originally implied nothing Of
the sort 1t expressed almost the reverse.
1t was the crow of triumph over a fallen
foe.
Such is its nature j, among savages
and barbarous peoples. and its uneXpect-
ed manifestations are occasionally very
startling. Dancing Oh the body Of a
PROSTATE enemy ls to them hilarious
business. The writhing of a victim uu-
der torture is the funniest thing umagi-
nable. A new device for torment is a
clever jest, The infictiug of ghastly
wound as some poor wretch runs the
Gantlet makes them yell with glce. The
things that shock or hOrrity or disgust
the civilized man are about the only
things worth laughing at from Il saw
ages point of view.
With the exception, therefore, of
rough practical jokes which may posi-
bly, wrinkle his stolid features with a
momentary grin, the barbarian has no
appreciation of civilized humOr. He
can't see where the fun comes i'll if no.
body is hurt.
This was curiously illustrated not long
ago when considerable number of
Cinnamon went to New York thcater
to see burlesque performance When
the American part of the audience
laughed, the delegation from Chinatown
sat with faces absolutely blank but the
moment any mint of brutality, tragedy
or tears appeared on the stage their
| heavy features lighted and were wreath
ed in smiles. 1t was strange thing to
Witness but it was all i'll perfect keep
ing with the cruel instincts of their
race.
Even the knowledge that he is him
self to be the next victim does not spoil
the fun of cruel spectacle for Il bar
| barian thoroughbred. Here is an i'll
stance:
A number of Siamese who had been
engaged i'll bloody revolt were cap
tured red handed and sentenced to mill
tary execution. A platoon of soldiers
was drawn up with loaded muskets, be-
fore whom the doomed men were led
out in squads of five or six to be shot,
while those who We're waiting their
turn stood by, under guard, looking on.
When the first volley was fired, tho
victims, torn by the storm of bullets,
leaped into the air with violent contor-
tions and fell dead. And this to tho
poor wretches who were about to so
through the same experience seemed so
fine a show and SO overwhelmingly funny
that they were fairly convulsed with
laughter.
Such is the humor of savagcs, and
such doubtless were the beginnings of
mirth the world over. Strange as it
may seem, there are many hints of this
barbarous origin IL the fun of the most
highly civilized. We no longer laugh
at really tragic occurrences, it is true,
for other and more humane emotions
are too strongly excited.
But if we chance to see ridiculous
mishap which does not quite rise to the
dignity of tragedy-an accident by
which some one is greatly Inconvenience
ed and annoyed without being seriously
injured-the remnant of the savage
breaks loose in us, and we laugh till tho
tears come.
Why else are we amused when we
see well dressed man thrown sprawl
ing i'll the mud or deluged with dirty
water from an upper window or driven
up a tree by a cross dog or an ugly bull?
Why else do we so keenly enjoy the
agony of "a man who has accidentally
pounded his finger nail, instead of the
tack he was driving into the carpet, or
laugh at the unfortunate who blindly
steps on a stray barrel hoop which tlips
up and slaps him i'll the face? Instances
might be multiplied without limit.
1t is noticeable that children often
laugh at things which do not amuse
adults, but, on the contrary, shock and
pain them That is because the child's
finer sensibilities are as yet imperfectly
developed. He is still near the savage
state. There is very prevalent senti-
ment to the contrary, but this is the
fact
In proportion as men become truly
civilized, however, their sense of humOr
becomes refined, and they revolt at any
suggestion of brutality. Yet it is worthy
of remark that the gentlest among US
are frequently amused at picture or Il
story representing things the actual oc-
currence of which would shock us great
ly.-BOstOn Post.