The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-08-13
BIC HEARTED
HUMOR|ST IS
ON DEATHBED
Suffering Terrible Pain,
Robert Burdette Jokes
in a Silent Language As
He Faces His Maker.
DY FRANK T. sEARioHT,
President Of the American Press
Humofista and Written for
tho United proas.

0
Humofiata and Written for
tho United Preaa
LOS ANGELES, Cal. Aus. "a
Sunny, loYable, fun making aBob4
hurdelio Ia on the rack Of a phys
zeal torture such a. few morlalz
are ever called upon to endure. and
he aeema doomed to endure II Tor
months.
Not necessarily fatal. his doc.
tors say, but the famous humorlst
preacher admits that # Ia the close
Of his public career at least. aud
that his resignation ~ pastor Of
Temple baptist church " this otis
Is bis first farewell appearance.
Sounds Just like Burdotie. does II
nail
Message From Boys.
carried a message Of sympathy
and cheer from hia boys Of the
American Press Humotlsta He's
the perpetual pafson and pastor
emeritus Of 100 Of Va. and calls us
his boys, with the possible exccp
tlou Of Mark Twain and I'll Per
klna, who have few years on the
paraon, though active members Of
his widely scattered flock Of fun.
manufacturing sinners.
Aud. though hla doctors wouldn't
allow him 70 speak a word. because
the mere effort OF speaking incruaa
"a his agony OF body, the rememI
hfance from these iakcemlths Of
the daily press drove the look Of
pain from his eyes for moment.
What no santed TO say was what
he has said TO mo often
"BoYs Of my own kind-my real
heothefa God bless them all.''
illa fortitudr ln al the more won.
dcrtpl When you know for days he
has issr and for months. probably.
he must continue 10 lie, hold fast
from Ia xalsl down IN plaster
caAis A slip and a fall backward
on c y. seranda al biz Pasadena
mAltldt March ~ last resulted 10
the big hciAlic nerve being Kunged
andiiorn by the sharp corner u a
boHtl oddly enough. a bench made
/ irufe az old church pew.
Btauae Of persistent reports
ihatDF nnfdctto was on hts death
bed. N spite of dcnials Of bis three
/ phyniclys. Mrs. Burdeito. who Il
notsd,ss paAt president of the Ma.
iiouh Federation OF Wumcn's clubs.
mhdsl absolute denial OF such ~,
morssy ssisrdny.
Or nurdette n not mortally m.
and yet bic Illness could be truly
termed critical Hin suffering ~
terrible and almost constant lie
rarely gets more than tao hours
Of sleep any night. and the only
ease from the pain Ia by the inicc.
ton Of oplatps Into the Hclatie
I nerve 70 stop It's awful ihrohbinK Z"
Hundreds Of letters and telc.
grams are arriving at the Burdeiie
home every day. and many Of these
are read 70 the afflicted humofint
t Little stories about the real
greatness OF this. one Of Americas
first humorists. come TO liKht cv.
cry day. and here Is one that has
mover been told before
story OF Bvrdeste.
The father Of the child told me
the story himself. with tears
streaming down his face. His IT.
tie Kifl was DYING. hob" Hurdette
bad started on a lecture tour along
the coast and up north. The tour
vas 10 last several weeks and or
diuaflly was worth several thou
sands Of dollar to HIN. The child
was a member Of the Burdette
Sunday school and q constant at
iendaui At his church. Her plea
was simply.
= want Mr.. Burdette 10 talk 10
me before / de-"
Hob Burdette cancelled his entire
list Of engagements and returned
At once TO Los Angeles. and the
younEnter passed away with tear
OF happiness on her face at the
cheerful words that came from his
haate bonrt