The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-06-01
MARKET FOR FUNNY STORIES
Duying or Renting Bright Anecdotes
the Latest Device of Persons with
Regulations as Speakers.


Funny stories have always been
marketable to a certain extent. After
dinner speakers and post-prandial ora
tors, with regulations greater than
their capabilities for retaining such.
have always been more than willing
to pay fair price for the amusing
stories and anecdotes wherewith the
aforementioned regulations have been
bolstered. Political speakers and GER
tain legal lights have never disdained
the story which was bought with
good, honest dollars, even though it
was the product of some other fell
lows brain and only became theirs
by right of purchase.
But the field has grown wider Of
late. Women have invaded precincts
long sacred to the masculine humor-
ist, and many women know what it
is to buy funny stories nowadays.
The price of story varies all the way
from bunch of violets to five dollars,
with an average of about $3.50.
A bright paper had been read at one
of the larger clubs recently and the
reader was standing in the clubroom
receiving the congratulations Of her
friends, when she became aware of a
strange woman who was making des-
perate efforts to attract her atten-
ton.
THAT was fine paper" said the
stranger.
Thank you," said the woman who
had written it.
Il have to write paper for an
other club before long," then said the
other woman, "and I'm not nearly so
clever as you are"
"No?" said the woman, with the
bright paper to her credit.
''And I'm quite sure it's easy for
you to think up clever stories," pur-
sued the stranger.
"Yes," responded the woman, who
began to see what was coming.
"And, in short, will you write me
three or four funny stories such as
you used to-day?" blurted out the
stranger, yielding to her embarrass-
ment; "I'm willing to pay for them
we'll, indeed"
What would you charge for allow
ing me to use one of the stories you
told just now at dinner which am
to attend this EVENING"" still another
woman asked of the essayist of the
afternoon, little later.
Talking the matter over with some
friends this woman learned that fun
ny stories are frequently bought and
sold in this manner, loaned-for
Observation-Disclosures now and
then, and even openly rented occa-
sionally so much for the privilege of
telling q funny story not more than
q certain number of times and strictly
within the limits of certain social
set. By this means both the purveyor
and the user of the story are protect
ed, the one from the danger of her
wares being handled too cheaply or
rendered too common, the other from
all fear of being suspected of employ
ing twice-told tales.
Among club women the funny story
barter reaches it's highest proportions.
1t is distressing to be called upon to
make an impromptu speech and to
have nothing clever or amusing to say.
The society woman, whose reputation
for luncheon-time cleyerness or after
noon-tea brilliancy has outrun her
natural inventiveness, makes by no
means bad second to the ambitious
member of half dozen clubs. The
fashionable physician, man or woman,
who likes to be credited with always
having something bright or amusing.
to say to the patient who needs en-
livening, has also been known to pur-
chase good stories occasionally, and
there are several ministers In Chicago
who are at least supposed to do the
same thing once in awhile.
And, after all, be the story pur-
chaser club woman, after-dinner
speaker, minister of the Gospel, or
tired-out society woman, Is 1t not bet
ter, on the whole, to buy good stories
than to beg, borrow, or steal them?
The men and women who do buy
them, secretly or otherwise, are firm
in their adherence to this view of the
case, and there would appear to be
good deal of common sense and JUS
tice in their position.-Chicago Trib-