The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06
WOMAN's SENSE OF HUMoR.
She Has None, and Never Laughs Ex-
cept when Men Set an Example.

cent when Men Set an Example.
From the London Globe.
It is commonly admitted that large
portion of the feminine mind is a terra
incognita'' TO the male observer. Not even
its phenomena and it's characteristics, but
its very laws are unknown. 1t Involves
fourth dimension which routs all mascu-
line notions of probability, and in the eyes
of the lower creatures partakes no little
of the miraculous. 1t is true, in defiance
of all logic, that woman reasons. 1t Is
tbus-thank heaven for it-thet she loves.
What is not so generally recognized is
that there is a similar monopoly on the
masculine side. with a corresponding ig-
,1orance and bewilderment on the part of
the woman. That unknown sphere. that
obscure non-E.uclidean territory, Is
hunor One speaks, of course, in the
rough. There are women who see hunnor
and appreciate 1t, just as7theIe are men
like MIR. George Meredith who know more
of that subtle hyper-space OF feminine 'n-
tellect than any woman does. Let IL De
granted that Sin certain exceptional cases
on both sides the seeing eye is given. Ihae
docs not alter the broad fact that each
sex is blind to large part OF the inehtdi
operations of the other. Woman reasons
university professors; man laughs-or per
forms the intellectual operation which
finds its lowest expression In laugh-oh
occa sions which will move woman
nAtther Il, nirth nor comment. Inc thlhg
has been recognized by PSYCHOLOGISTS OF
all ages Man" has been oenheu as
q laughing animal, not woman. The fem
inina Iaugh-a phenomenon quite distinct
and due to a different set of emouons-ls
evoked nv anything but humor.
There is indeed, ground for the Dellet
mot the feminine laugh is. like the divid-
cd skirt due to the instinct OF irnAtatlou'
rrbe normal woman, probably, never
wants to laugh al all, except when shs
is in mysteries; but, having found oy lohS
aeas of experience that there are occa-
'sS,ns when man utters sounds of cachln-
ration unaccompanied by tears, she, IKE
tha d1tiful and obedient creature she was
in those DAYS, trained Herself to a natter
ing echo of her lords merrlment' Whd.
A. All meant the poor soul had not the ieast
i5ea. what II means she has not the least
TO- 70 this day; but she fulflls the law
~ evolution in that to-day the laugh
ccvoes automatically on certain set occa-
sions Every woman has, al the pdch Vi
her. mind somewhere, series OF nNed
r,les as to the things at which she shouid
laugh. Mirth is to her matter OF ett-
n,,n3te She does not know Humor in his
ovvn great person, but she has trained her-
salf to recognize his cap and bells. III, as
be does on great occasions, he leaves them
AZ home. the poor creature is quite
at sea. She knows, for example mat
a a. nroper to laugh at the savoy or the
caietv. lust as one is expected 10 look
r,aasant at the photographers or to DC
"a at a funeral. If you played me
D,cbess of Mali" at the Gaiety she wouhd
etIl laugh. The conductors OF punch nave
sonetinnes been criticised for their par
TALLY for the variety OF Joke known rs
~ Schestnut" Therein are they wise
a. ,heir generation. For woman-and la
dias rood Punch-are taken at disad-
- ora NV a new joke but "chestnuts
thav know of old and can laugh at.
Wv yTon,en are perfectly conscious OF this
defect in their mental equipment. Ihey
" oho,,t the world eager nervous, anx-
go 49, ,1eerinp for this strange thing HUI
49, which their husbands and sons can
80 but they cannot. The sense OF its IN
,ts,h,1itv exasperates them. Even IN the
o,,tlool, for II they know that they are
s,,ra TO miss 1t under their very noses ana
they are come to hate the thihg. lnefe -
many harassed woman so."s ~ "a" doasn,,
world to-day simply because she uoesh
49, when to laugh. Jealous, as all wo-
.a, are by nature, she cannot pear lna'
49, -oolas of her household should nave
source Of apparent enjoyment Whisn
is hidden from her. So she stuoles tne
| comic papers, she reaus ~ ~ 80,
~ Tit-Bits-not because she likes them
hut as sort of textbook to ACQUIRE TINS
-, strange law which ever eludes sher.
sS" ,asrns certain amount. A pun she
baSis with delight-not that she thinks
r. funny. but because here at least Is a
Inc 10 the unknown thing. Women VIII
laugh AT any play upon words, however
idio4ic. Indeed, II II were not for the rem
| tntne lack of humor the pun, as vehicle
80 - xvo,,ld not last another week. Wo-
men have always been stickers for con-
vention. and II lies TO their charge that
| nrinted humor has become so stereotyped
= thing. A childs saying, too. Is always
a safe card to play for the feminine laugh.
| There, at least she Is on safe ground.
| II mov be taken as a general rule in the
| feminine code of humor that everything
| n child says is funny. With men the de-
| fusion extends, as a rule, only to their