Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-03-25
THE JOKE
By E. CLOPHAN PALMER

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1t was not my joke, so l had nc
case against the man, but I was sorry
for the humorist.
He had taken the trouble to make
the joke. and yet this man. seated com
fortably within hearing, had the au
dacity to ignore 1t. The fact that he
was stranger made no difference;
the humorist and 1 were strangers
when we left London, but after few
miles quaint and unexpected phrase
of his about the behavior of the train
made US friends at once. l was glad
to enter into partnership with him
and to share his capacity for seeing
the other side Of things.
But the third man looked stolidly
out Of the window. and gave no sign
of having heard. 1 could see no
merit in so churlish an attitude, and |
felt inclined to ask him why he had
failed to give the joke a welcome; but
instead turned to the humorist and
led him to other ground, which l
knew he would not be able to resist.
And soon he was telling me some Of
the best stories have ever heard, In
SO irresistible q way that I could not,
for my life, have kept serious.
Still the other man paid no atten-
ton, and l grew to dislike his firmly
set face. l wanted to critioise his per-
feet frock coat, his geometrical tie, his
shilling cigar, and his magnificent hat.
And by this time the humorist him
self was in my state of mind, and I
could see that he was puzzled and
offended by the stubborn seriousness
of the man.
Therefore, we talked the widest
nonsense that we knew, but nothing
we said had any effect; and eventually
decided that was justified in speak
ing to the man. l wanted to know how
he had come to be so independent of
a joke, and I turned to him and said,
rather in the Johnsonian manner:
Sir, l have a charge to make against
you"
He showed no surprise, but looked
quite amiably at me, and said: "That
is interesting; be good enough to ex-
plain"
Very seriously, therefore, went
on: The charge against you is that on
this, the 2Sth day Of June, 1908, you
have refused to laugh at IL Jokes.
eight humorous stories, and four ex-
cellent puns. Do you plead guilty or
not guilty?"
Guilty" he replied.
Il am glad you are honest" 1 said
Have you anything to say in your
defense?"
Il have" he answered, "a great deal
to say"
That" l said, "pleases me, but you
must remember to keep to the point
| want you to tell me why you have
not laughed in the last hour"
Il have not laughed" he replied, be
cause am, as you can see, successful
There is no need for me to laugh
] do not want to escape, as you do
from serious things. II my banking
account were smaller, l might be able
to enjoy your jokes, and If Were less
contented l might be able to listen to
your stories, but, as I am, 1t is inn
possible"
You mean" l said, that 1t is neces-
sary to fail before one can see a
joker"
Exactly" he replied. 1T is discon-
tent that drives men to humor. They
are not satisfied with seeing only one
side of thing; they want to see an
other. A man with a large banking
account is satisfied with things as they
are; a man with a shilling In his
pocket is anxious to see things as they
are not To the prosperous the world
is kind; to the poor only joke is mer-
ciful."
Il should have thought" l said, that
man with shilling in his pocket
would resent joke, and refuse, as it
were, to take it in"
Not at all" he protested; ''he is of
ali men most qualified to appreciate 1t,
because 1t suggests to him that there
is, after all, another and happier side
to things. He welcomes a Joke as he
would welcome a miracle"
81 am afraid" said, that we are
getting into a discussion which threat
ems to be long. You seem to think
that joke is the one luxury of the
poor"
81 do" he replied, land in a way, I
envy them. 1t may be strange, but I
am so rich that I can't afford to see
a joke. l must always take myself
quite seriously. You can, If you like,
pity me-"
81 see," said.
But" he went on, "if you pity me
you must pity Napoleon and Caesar,
and all men who have been success
full. You can't imagine Napoleon read
ing Punch, or Caesar pausing in his
career, If l put 1t so. to laugh at a
good story"
There the talk ended, as he had to
get out at Arundel. Before he left, he
asked me what the verdict was. but
had difficulty in knowing what to
say, and left 1t to the humorist. The
humorist said at once: 81 think we
must find him guilty. He has admit
ted that he has not time to laugh, and
that he Ia too rich to wee Q ioka. 1t