Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-24

A SELF styled student of human nature
\ has what he is pleased to call his acid
test for a sense of humor. 1t consists of
certain story, of whose mirth provoking
quality he is so well convinced that to find
it other than laugh compeller is to argue
oneself not of the elect. The tale runs as
follows:
The undertaken was preparing the re-
mains of the very bald man for interment
AS he was busy at this congenial task the
bereaved widow stole into the room.
II have brought you a pot of glue, she
sobbed
"Why, what is that for?" inquired the
master of ceremonies in some astOnlshment.
at occurred to me- she explained, that
you might need it for attaching poor Johns
toupee.' 49,,
chats very thoughtful of YOU said the
undertaken in his most sympathetic tones;
"but you need not have bothered. 1 have
used a couple of tacks
Now whether or not this is funny story,
it is an interesting one by reason OF the
widely different effect it has upon hearers
To most the first sensation Is OF outraged
sensibilities. Many never experience any
other A few suffer no qualm, but express
delight from the instant of the denouement
The proprietor of the tale argues that, as
with some cheeses little feeling of repug-
nance is essential to full enjoyment of its
delicate flavor. He is willing to admit, new
ertheless, that the sense of hunor is not
wholly absent even from those who sustain
no shock The unfortunates who are adj
Indicated quite outside the pale are those
individuals who blandy ask whether the
undertaken followed the usual custom, or
any other equally unappreClatlve question
They have failed to react to the test.
A SENSE of humor is one of the things
we refer to in daily conversation, but
find serious difficulty in defining. On some
equally vague qualities we possess compe-
tent opinions; on genius, for instance, about
which critics have always differed and al
ways will, yet which the one universally
acknowledged genius of the English race as
sures us is something ito madness near al
lied" But you shall search in vain for an
explicit and authoritative comment on
Sense of humor." No maker of dictionaries
has ever pretended to know what it is: had
he known he would perhaps have followed
another calling There is no history of
humor in which you may trace the evolu
ton of this priceless possession from the
seed to the ripe fruit of today. Perhaps
humor antedates history itself, and was al
ready in the flower when testy Babylonlan,
shattering on the solid ivory skull of fellow
citizen the baked brick that was the comic
weekly of his time, gave rise 20 the popular
phrase, Cracking joke"
Nor will everyone agree with the self
styled student of human nature as to the
infallibility of his acid test. Yet he is stand
ing on the threshold of great truth. Even
if there were no other evidence in support
of that contention, it is proved by the popu-
larity in America of what may be called
mortuary anecdotes, of which the foregoing
and the following are fair examples:
MRS. BRONSON, good hearted New
Iva England woman with an ineradicable
weakness for the faux pas, remarked one
afternoon to her daughter:
am going over to comfort Mrs. Drake.
You know Mr.. Drake hanged himself in
their attic last night"
ooh, don't 60, Mother!' protested the
younger woman. @You always say the
wrong thing
eyes, Mary, feel it my duty to CO. in
sisted Mrs. Bronson ~But I'll just talk
about the weather. That's perfectly safe
subject
Seated in Mrs. brakes kitchen, she ven
tured, what rainy weather we have had
lately!"
eyes, indeed" replied the widow. al
hoxy oh1 70 not ha