Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24

coming q serious matter III America Engi1Shnen
may take their jokes seriously, but Americans are
making too serious business of making Jokes
The inevitable result of overeating and over
drinking should serve warnings against this
national inclination to turn all the affairs of this
world into joke. If this American deluge OF
levity continues before long it will be dangerous
thing for any to make joke in this country
especially in the West. There will not only be no
appreciation, but there will be jokes left. The
higher the humor, the harder it will be to have to
go back to the old virginia. stock again 1t will be
like having to revert to beer after having enjoyed
steady course of champagne for half lifetime
In arranging for little dinner for few friends of
friend of mine not long ago, this example was
brought up by the elderly waiter into whose hands
| committed the task of selecting the courses He
suggested that certain amount of high priced wine
could be served to guests and safely be followed by
any amount of inferior brands there being danger
that any guest would lack appreciation of the later
courses, after having had sufficient quantity of
high-prlced wines to start with At certain stage
of the proceedings his delcacy of taste and discern
ment would depart. And furthermore, the guest
need not necessarily be muddled.
This is the age of disillusion Many old idols and
nnumerab1e ideals have been DESTROYED by the
relentless scalpel of the scientist We are told
to-day that life is to be made everlasting and to-
morrow may be told that the end of the world
is already in sight. 1t behooves us to take no
chances, either way. We must neither become
surfeited reduce the visible supply
Humor should be an essence waited by the wind
unexpected and delightful because unlocked for
We all know what forced humor is Stories of the
struggles of writers to manufacture their work are
never interesting to the public 1t does no good
for the professional humorst writer to tear his hair
and struggle for adequate expression. He must
wait patiently for the thought to come. Stories
from writers like Mark Twain may mean long days
and months of hard work-the hardest kind of hard
work-before coming to their fruition The woman
living in the sweets-shop must have particular
and peculiar sweet to tempt her aded appetite.
True humor lasts and will doubtless outlast the
world, after much of the sardonic quips of to-day
have been relegated to oblivion. The humor of
Dickens will ive-the humor of the roast beef and
plum pudding of Old England-which is the Old
England of America well-the home of the fathers
That humor based upon the kindler thoughts will
survive because of its worth it is the humor that
stlrs the heart to emotion pleasant be tear
full, so stirring as to be boisterous in appreciation
When attempt the analysis of national humor
should remember that Mark Twain has several
armies of admirers in England, just as Charles
Dickens has his armies of lovers in America. Be
Sides all that is good and harmless and cheerful and
heathfu OF whatever country, sooner or later will
be waited on the wings of appreciation around this
little globe call the world and every nation will
take to itself what it deems best
So the real humor of the world will not be manu-
featured to order, projected the wings of
ether. 1t will watt itself into its niche and gently
imperceptibly, spread its essence as the fragrant
jossstck gives its Eastern perfume in the shawl
enshrouded room. 1t will whisper the vagrant
wind without predestined destination. 1t is a
vagrant itself, roaming the world; now and then
varying its course to soothe heavily clouded brow
though of itself it loves the sunshine of happiness