The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-10
Many Variations Possible.

Many Variations Possible.
Infinite variations are possible to the
conversational joke. Sometimes the con-.
versers are merely He and She and
''Nobbs" but now and then, since the
birth of the Oliver original, other joke
writer's have created certain characters,
using them again and again as the We
hicles through which to spring upon the
unsuspecting world any joke that lends
itself to the conversational form of ex-'
preston.
Mr. Oliver. for many years. has used
certain character couples which have be-
come household words. Notable among
these are Mr.. Crimsonbeak" and
Yeast" Church. and Gotham and
Patience" and "Patrice.''
It would be difficult to find in the United
States person who has not read in some
newspaper a joke credited to the Yonl1ers
Statesman. Mr. Oliver is responsible for
all of these He has written from six
to ten jokes a day, six days a week. for
twenty-nine years. with very little vaca-
ton. His annual output averages $500
jokes
Mr.. Oliver does not resemble the funny
man of more or less popular tradition. He
shaves regularly and parronizes the hair
cutter at brief intervals. He dresses cor
rectly not fashily.
When he attends the annual sessions of
the American Press Humorists he takes
his trunk At Baltimore three years ago
Oliver had a steamer trunk hauled to his
hotel. Strickland W. Gillian, then of the
Baltimore American, he who wrote "Off
agn, on agin, gone agin Ffnnlgin," OBJ
served the porter carrying this baggage
and turned to the Yonkers man.
OLIVER he said. what in the world
did YOU bring that steamer trunk for?''
well" replied Oliver. they told me
that Baltimore was a hot town. so I
thought I'd bring my steamer trunk and
let It do the steaming."
1t was at this same Baltimore meeting
that Mr.. oliver was acknowledged as the
Father of the conversational joke.
rA~@ Appears About 40.
Father Oliver does not reveal his age
in plain figures, nor in looks. for he APP
pears to be about 40. but he has confess
ed that he was Just of age when the
conversational joke was born, and the
files of the Yonkers Statesman show that
this joke is now twenty-nine years old
At the Inside Inn in st. Louis during the
convention of the humorists at the worlds
fair a young man from the st. Louis
Star approached Mr. Oliver, pad and PEN
Gil poised menacingly.
MIR. oliver said the reporter. II have
been assigned to interview you. Ah-uh-
what do you consider your best joker"
Inc author Of 1900 jokes, who had for
gotten all of them but the one he was
then terminating. staggered slightly
under the impact of this query and looked
blankly at the form of the young report
er. Then he replied, solemnly:
'You-yourself."
Pressed further. he asked the reporter:
where was Moses when the light went
out?"
I'm the dark" replied the young man
promptly
well so am l." said Oliver.
He consented to be interviewed few
days ago, however.
How did you happen to become a joke
writer?" he was asked.
when / was very young boy" said
Mr.. Oliver, my father got the Western
fever and talked of moving to Kansas.
dropped into poetry something Ike his:
was rejoiced at the idea and one day
Away, away to Kansas.
Then you'll see
Us dance the lanciers-
But not to Tennessee
THAT may not be epoch making poetry.
but it made my father and all the house.
hold laugh. Ny father locked the stuff up
in his desk, and it was shown to every
body who happened in"
Everybody who saw the doggerel
laughed. Soon after that | made up my
mind that my mission in life was to try
to make people happy-to make them
laugh. That is why / took up Joke writ
ing-on the side
Began in 1877.
] began newspaper joke writing in 1871.
! was at the case learning the trade OF
printer. | thought up the jokes while
going to ard from the office and at night.
NV first day | had fourteen Jokes In tho