The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-05-31
SEEK FUNNY STORIES.
STEADY MARKET FOR BRIGHT
SAYINGS AND ANECDOTES.
After Dinner Orators, Political Speak
ers, Legal Lights, Club Women and
Ministers of the Gospel Are Usually
Among the Purchasers.

ers, Legal Lights, Club Women and
Ministers of the Gospel Are Usually
Among the Purchasers.
Funny stories have always been mar
ketable to n certain extent. After-din-
ner speakers and post-prandial orators,
with regulations greater than their ca
liabilities for retaining such, have al
ways been more than willing to pay a
fair price for the amusing stories and
anecdotes wherewith the aforemention-
ed regulations have been bolstered. Po-
have never disdalned the story which
was bought with good, honest dollars.
even though 1t was the product of some
other fellows brain and only became
theirs by right Of purchase
But the field has grown wider of late.
Women have invaded precincts long sa-
cred 10 the masculine humorist, and
many women know what Ii is to buy
funny stories nowadays. The price of
a story varies all the way from II bunch
Va NibifAN W w. WIN III hNNAabt Va
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 attention.
That was n fine paper" said the
stranger
THANK you" said the woman who
had written It,
Il have to write paper for another
club before long" then said the other
woman, land I'm not nearly so clever
as you are"
Mo- 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." pursued the
stranger.
Yes" responded the woman. who be-
gan 10 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 embarrassment I'm
willing to pay for them well, indeed"
What would you charge for allow
ing me TO use one OF the stories you told
just now at dinner which am to at
tend this EVENING"" still another woman
asked of the essayist of the afternoon, a
little later.
Talking the matter over with some
friends this woman learned that funny
stories are frequently bought and sold
in this manner, loaned-for a financial
consideration-every now and then, and
even openly rented occasionally - so
much for the privilege of telling a
funny story not more than "A certain
number OF lines, and strictly within the
limits OF n certain social set BY this
means both the puryeyor and the user
of the story are protected. the one from
the danger OF her wares being handled
too eheaply or rendered too common,
tie other from all fear OF being sus-
pected OF employing twlce-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-tlme cleverness or afternoon
tea brilliancy has outrun her natural In
ventlyeness, makes by no means bad
second TO the ambitious member OF half
n dozen clubs. The fashionable physi-
elan. man or woman, who likes to be
credited with always having something
bright or amusing to say to the patient
who needs enlIvenlng, has also been
known to purchase good stories occa-
sionally, and there are several ministers
In Chicago who are at least supposed to
do the same thing once In n while.
And, after all, be the story purchaser
club woman. after-dinner speaker, min
lister of the gospel, or tired-out society
woman. Is II not better, on the whole, to
my good stories than TO beg. borrow or
teal 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
n good deal of common sense and jus
tiee In their position. Tribune.