Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-23
Victim of a Joke.
New York Sun.J


This is the story of joke that has
caused a good deal of annoyance to
its original victim, and which is now
causing annoyance to others. 1t start
ed in this wise:
In 1901 Professor Alga Cook, hold
Ing the chair of geology and mineral
ogy at the Northwestern University at
| Chicago, found occasion to demonstrate
with some of his pupils about their be-
havior. He found fault with them for
smoking and chewing tobacco, for
swearing, for drinking Intoxicating
liquor, and above all, for sitting in the
dark corners Of the campus at night
and engaging in kissing bouts with
persons of the other sex. Professor
Crook is earnest in his manner and he
spoka directly and with severity. Y
His words stung. TO get even, some
of the students started the report that
Professor Crook had said that he HIM
self had never done any of the things
referred to, with especial emphasis on
the last one The report spread, the
newspapers got itt 1t was printed from
end to end Of the country, and one
morning Professor Crook awoke to find
| himself famous in an unpleasant way.
| The charge was Il peculiarly hard
one to meet. Nobody would laugh at
| him for not smoking or drinking, or
i swearing, but kissing is different
When he denied the report, people only
laughed. Ii he had kissed girl they
wanted specifications. He was between
the devil and the deep sea.
Professor Crook was, from the out
cot nt "a co "a Go tht
grew and grew, and any contradictions
of 1T published were so worded that
they only served to add to the power OF
the joke. Letters poured in upon him
letters OF advice, of encouragement, Of
condemnation; proposals of marriage;
offers to initiate him into the myster-
lees of the kissing game.
1t was hard enough to bear the an
noyance caused by the joke directly,
but 1t had other effects. 1t affected
in q measure his prestige as profess
sor 1t even declared that an offer of
advancement which was about to be
made to him was held back.
Professor Crook bore up against the
storm as we'll as he could and hoped
that 1T would pass in time. He devot-
ed himself to an important work--the
location of the source OF the diamonds
which have been found from time to
time in this country, borne from the
north in the glacial drift His meth
cd was simple enough--to gather data
about all the existing diamonds, then
by following the glacial drift to trace
them to their common source, but 1T
will take a long time in the working
out.
Gradually the storm subsidized. The
world forgot about him and turned to
other things.
But the other day word went forth
that he was engaged to be married, and
the kissing story was called up again.
This time the annoyance was not con-
fined to him. The young lady to whom
he was engaged also suffered. Such
questions as when and how Professor
Crook kissed her, or If he ever did, and
how 1t felt, were sought to be pro-
pounded to her. She was pestered for
her photograph. How much she had
been wounded in this way no one
knows but herself, but any sensitive
person can imagine.
Professor Crooks father Is presiding
elder Of the Methodist church for this
district. and it was while on visit
home last summer that Professor
Crook met his betrothed. He is an en-
thusiastic tennis player and it was at
a tournament that the introduction
took place.
1t was a genuine case Of love at first
sight and in al few weeks they were
engaged. They were married on We'd
nesday, Dec. %. 1t was arranged that
the wedding should be an elaborate
church, one, but the recent death of
the brides sister, caused this plan
to be changed.
The bride had been instructor of
music in the public schools here for
some years. She is very attractive
girl and possesses beautiful contral-
to voice. Professor Crook himself, is
a tall, good looking fellow. He is es-
pecially we'll educated, having rounded
out his studies by a three years course
in the universities of Germany.
His life was a very successful one
until this joke was sprung on him.
Now. whenever his name is mentioned
some one has this story to tell, about
him, and In the laugh that follows, his
merits are sometimes forgotten. But
his friends hope that the end has been
reached now.
Amries Risen FROM the Grave.
1