The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-04-29
Used Two Centuries Ago.
IN ZOE MILLEn'S JEST BOOK"


Twain Was Moved to Call the Alpha
and Omega of Detected Humor.
The Joe Miller Jest Book"-it is
famous. Mark Twain mentions 1t as
the alpha and omega of detected hui
NOR. 1t is unrivaled, Incompatible
apart. Further. it is English-yery
English.
Possibly the latter phenomenon is re-
sponsible for the difficulty n searcher
had in finding an unrevised copy. Aft
er an afternoon of search a second
hand but scarcely worn copy finally
was discovered in a little bookstore.
The bookseller eyed the buyer curious.
ly, but with some awe, and seemed
very glad to get rid of it for % cents.
Twenty-Five cents! How instantly
reminiscent of one of the Joe Miller
jokes-leg pardon. jests:
THE LIGHT SUBJECT.
The government, having threatened to
proceed vigorously against those who re-
fused to pay assessed taxes. offered to
them remission of one-fourth. This at
least" said one sufferer. may be called
giving them some quarter"
You can get that off in your very
next after dinner speech. You can put
a little accent on one-fourth and quar-
ter and get quite as loud Il laugh.
Second specimen iii must be remem-
bered that the jest book was compiled
in the early part of the eighteenth
century, when there were librarians;
therefore the jests that aren't blamed
on lords are mostly charged to writ
ers):
A DIFFERENCE.
Jerrold one day met a Scotch gentleman
whose name was Leitch. who explained
that he was not the popular cartoonist
John Leech. I'm aware of that" said
Jerrold. You're the Scotchman with the
Itch in your name"
There, Just think of the triumph with
which Mr.. Jerrold later related that quip
to his friends.
Specimen:
THE CONNOISSEUR.
A person to whom the curiosities, build
Ings, etc., in oxford were shown one very
hot day was asked by his companion if
he would see the remainder of the univer-
sity. My dear SIR" replied the connois-
seur. II am stone blind already"
Whether the friend expired in
spasms of mirth or subsequently was
hanged for mayhem the jest book
doesn't say.
The wit of the Irish is called in too.
Specimen:
A SPRIG OF SHILLALAH.
A fellow on the quay. thinking to quiz
| poor Irishman. asked him. 'How do the
potatoes eat now, PATTI" The Irish lad.
land, answered cleverly: oh. they eat
'ery well, my jewell Would you like to
aste the stalk?" And. knocking the in
luirer down. he coolly walked off.
Probably it was a good thing he
Knocked him down first.
Turning to the middle of the book
here are 400 pages-Joe breaks into
'erse:
ON THE LATIN GERUNDS.
When Dido mourned. Aeneas would not
come.
he wept in silence and was Dido Dumb.
Classic?
Here's
A BAD END
1t was told of Jekyll that one of his
riends, brewer, had been drowned in
lis own vat. All" he exclaimed float
ng in his own watery bierl'
Right off the bat that
There's little Johnny also. He drops
n during jest:
THE SEASON-INGS.
Come here. Johnny. and tell me what
he four seasons are"
Young Prodigy-Pepper salt, mustard
nd vinegar.
Here's a little shot at politics and
he peer system:
EPIGRAM
Ton Alderman Woods being afraid to
ledge himself to even the principles he
as always professed.)
ure in the house he'll do but little good
Who lets Il dare not" wait upon Il,
Wood" q would.
Oh, listen, Talk about your origi-
ality:
A SHORT JOURNEY
POUNDS, fellow" exclaimed a choleric
Id gentleman to very phlegmatic, mat
er of fact person, Il shall go out of my
'itsl"
well, you won't have far to CO." said
he phiegmatic man.
Yes. and here's small ebullitionN
rom a dramatist:
OLD FRIENDS.
Coleman, the dramatist. was asked II
% knew Theodore Hook. Yes" replied
he wit. Hook and eye are old associ-
tes.'
Hook was not present at the time.
The courts also come through with