St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-02-20
JOE M1LLER's JOKE BOOK.
Was Written by Another and He
Never Made But One Jest
In His Life.

Never Made But One Jest
In His Life.
Surely fame never came more easily
and with less desert than to Joe Miller,
for, IS is well known. he never wrote
line of the famous book which bears
his name, says Golden Penny. In
deed, Motley, the very writer of the
'Jest Book" once declared that Joe
had only one idea-and that was
wrong one," while a tiographcr has
described him as having "a face OF the
most imperturbable mold, full OF gravl-
ty and solemnity, and evidently not
intended for laughter in itself. though
it was admirably adapted to cause
laughter in others. In private life,
continues his biographer, "he was the
dullest of the dull, scarcely ever
speaking 1t was at the Old Black
Jack tavern, in Portsmouth street,
Lincoln's Inn Fields, a favorite resort
for the actors and actresses OF the
time, that Motley met Joe, pufhng
away at his pipe, striking contrast
to the other more reckless members
Of the company. The Black Jack was
notorious as being one of the houses
frequented by Jack Sheppard, ana.
while being a famous place for polit.
ical and other meetings, mostly OF a
secret nature, it sprung into fame as
the home of the ''popgun plot"
plot to kill King George III. with
poisoned arrow. Here, also, came
Hogarth, to enjoy the convivialities OF
the time, and perhaps, also, to find
| subjects for his picture satires. AS an
inducement to certain patrons, it is
said that in one of the attics of the
Black Jack there was a sort OF CHM
ney cupboard, in which gentlemen In
| difficulties were often secreted till ar
rangements could be made with their
creditors.
The Book of Jests'' was not pub
lished until year after Joe's death.
plays. was commissioned by publish.
er named Read to compile new book
of jests. The popular comedians re-
cent death suggested that his name
might give the book good send
off, and thus it happened that a
gloomy, yet withal "honest," comedian
has been handed down to posterity as
the writer of world famous Book
of Jests.' Although it is not known
where Joe Miller was born, or what
was the quality or estate of his par.
ents, it is pretty certain that his edu-
cation was scanty, for it is said that
his reason for marrying was to have
somebody to read his parts to him.
Joe's introduction to the stage prob
ably took place at Bartelmy fair,
where, perhaps, two centuries ago,
when humbly commencing his career,
he might have been seen standing at
the door of booth, coaxing the public
to enter, with some such patter as
Tumble up. my dears, and have all
the fun of the fair for penny-bab-
bies half price and old ladies for
nothing"
Certain it is that Joseph, in time,
met with enough success to have
booth of his own '"The Tempest" was
one play presented at Joe's booth, the
bill for which ran as follows: ''Never
acted before. At Nillers Booth, over
against the Cross-daggers, near the
Crown Tavern, during the time of
Bartholomew Fair, will be presented
an excellent new Droll, calpd The |
Tempest; or the Distressed Lovers.
With the English Hero and the Island
Princess, with. the comical humours |
of the Inchanted Scctchman; or Jockey |
and the Three Witches, showing how
a Nobleman of England was cast away |
upon the Indian Shore, and in his
travel found the Princess of the Coun-
try, with whom he fell in love-" ETC. |
Joe's first appearance at Drury Lane
took place in 1715. his salary being |
three guineas week, which was after
ward advanced. on account of his
popularity, to five. Here he seems to
have been favorite right up to the
time of his death, "his talents lying
among heavy fathers. countrymen and
idiots; he also played broken French |
and Irish parts"
Although the first edition of "Joe |
Miller's Jest Book contained 247
jokes, it is said that Joe only made
one original joke in his lifetime-and /
that unconsciously while he was seat
ed at the window of the Sun tavern,
in Glare market An old fishwoman
and her girl passed by. The woman |
was exhorting the servant maids of |
the district to buy of her by crying:
BUY my soles, buy, my lnaids!" But |
honest Joe's ire was raised, and he
exclaimed: "Ah; you wicked old crea-
ture; what! are you not content to
sell your own soul, but you must sell
your maids also?" Joe Miller's Jest
Book has now become treasure for
the collector, copies of it fetching from
e2 1Os upward, while a copy of the
second edition once fetched Eli S.,
on account Of some manuscript addi-
lions it contained. The first edition
appeared in 1899, with 247 jokes, which
were increased to 587 in the 1745 edi-
ton. Subsequent editions of the Jest
Book" contained further additions to
the original number of jokes, all, of
course, attributed to Honest Joe, the
1876 edition containing no fewer than
/ 1856 Jokes and repartees, or more than
five times as many as originally APP
peared.
Minister studies Law.
For years Rev. ]. E. Herman, of Mil
ford. N. H., has been studying law, and
now he has been admitted to the bar.
81 have done all this study he says,
"uithout in any Wav sighting nv du-