New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14

An Influential Society Promotion of Laughter ORGANIZED
in Japan.

NOT manifested an anxiety to pose as the sayers
of good things. and being, as a rule endowed
,-,+b an excellent memory and an essentially
royal facility Of adaptation and appropriation,
thew reflect the wit and humor of those around
them. which accounts in measure for the care
which they take TO surround themselves with
amusing people. True court testers no longer
figure in cap and BELLS as in the Middle Ages
But for all that they still remain as much Of an
entity among the associates Of rulers as in days,
Of yore. While they may frequently originate.
the witticisms that subsequently issue from,
royal lips it may be doubted whether there are
any of the sovereigns of the Old World now
living who go TO the length of the French
King Louis XVI who was so anxious to be-
known as a wit that he employed man solely
to invent clever remarks and repartee to be,
introduced into the royal speeches and corre-'
spondence. This man was the Marquis des
Pezay, and he received a salary equivalent to-
81 800 year On all public occasions he acted
as the Kings prompter, and 1 remember tho
late Prince de Iigne once showing me at
Brussels a letter written by De PeZay to thes
King directing the latter how he must make,
q particular mot" Your majesty" runs part
of the letter. will shortly proceed to the race
course and will come across a clerk recording,
the bets Of your brother, the Comte dArtois,
and of the Due d'Orleans. Say. Sire. on see
ing him. Why this man? Is writing necessary
between gentlemen? Their word should suffice
The bystanders hearing this will exclaim,
Quite true. fine saying, that Of the King.
VOLTA son genre Chat is just his style)."
After all, the desire to be noted for sense Of
humor and to be celebrated as a sayer Of good
things. provocative of mirth and of laughter. is
not only innocent, but likewise a meritorious
ambition, for wit and humor may be said to oil
the wheels of modern life and of human exist
ence. and laughter is indispensable to good
health and good spirits. Doctors declare that the
exercise Of the rsible faculties assists the d.
gestive organs, while the specialists in mental
affections suspect no one so readily as the per-
son who never laughs Knowing this. are
ready TO go far in search of sights and sounds
that divert. How necessary laughter is to our
existence here in America can only be appreci-
ated If one were to imagine for one moment that
some bad fairy We're TO take from US for time
our capacity for laughter. It would not only de-
prive US Of half of our enjoyment of life and
throw out of business all those professions which
make a business of providing US with entertain
ment but would cause many of US to pine and
wither like plants deprived Of sunshine. What,
for instance, would the schoolgirl do If deprived
of that gggle which constitutes the safety valve
for her exuberance of spirits? What. indeed
would any OF US 90 II deprived OF the use OK
those risible muscles which are first called into
play in our tenderest infancy. though by what
precise means it is difficult to say with any de-
gree Of certainty, for in this connection 7 al
ways remember the picture in London Punch"
where a young mother is portrayed gazing
with rapture on her baby's first smile
Nurse" she exclaims. 'r think that angels are
whispering to my darling See how he snilesI"
To which the nurse replies:
'Lor, mum. it's only the wind his little
stumInick" EX-ATTACHE.