The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-21
Dolly Finds MT. Le7v Dockstader Very Serious
 "Oft' The Stage But Quite Entertaining
 Ky DOLLY DaLRYMPLE


 destiny brought Mir. Lew Dock 0 stader the world famous minstrel man. and myself face to face. Being lace to face with lot of people doesn't mean much, but being face to face with MT. Dockstader means bewilder- ment.
 You can't betexe him you are utterly amazed; totally skeptical--no man ever looked like that off of the stage. and then makes up to look like he does on
 He's big and round and good natured and don't see why 1 should say l don like him because do-very much,
 Allow me to clench my fists and hold tight in the boat while l sketch an i'm pressionistic outline in words of the gen. tleman-we all love outlines and his is an epic:
 But no; l should have to refrain in the end from finishing it up; there are certain things in architecture that are unexplain able and MT Dockstader is kind of architecture, human architecture and while he is food for the artist. he is bal . last for flights of fancy:
 He has done himself justice, architec- turally speaking. r. of-course, when Invent to see Mr Dock stader 1 had expected to laugh myself nearly to death and imagine my surprise when l found him not only not in the least funny, but on the other hand most serious minded and sedate person who likes to talk about home and freside companions and anything on earth exceps things witty and humorous and yet he is very diverting and entertaining, and very bright and most human.
 What are you going to talk to me about?' I asked Mir. Dockstader as we sat in the foyer of the Hotel Hlllman, and he puffed big, blue rings of smoke from d good Havana while he pondered over my question.
 Anything you say he acquiesced, gracefully
 Tell me the funniest story you've ever heard, requested.
 My dear lady Mir. Dockstader said quickly, wasn't it our friend MT. Ixipling, who said there were only 70 jokes in ex- istence, S9 of which couldn't be told to ladies? The fortieth. it is needless for mo to say, is not the funniest | have ever heard. But speaking of jokes and stores,> that reminds me of an incident that oc- curred long years ago when | first came to Birmingham as a minstrel man. It isn't funny but just. reminiscent. When ,Sot oll ol tHe trdln the Otner nlBht here l recalled it I saw the old O'Brien opera house. where I used to play, had been torn down. In those days it was the custom of the minstrel man when ne got to town to go to the biggest. news paper office and get the city editor to put him on to all the gags about prom inent men and people, single out as it were the mote in his brothers eye went to The Age-Herald and who do you xxvoc aif <,flt tt<,,. Roy McCardle who is now one of the most famous men of the day in journal ism.
 He gave me some rich. rare and racy pointers. and went to my hotel, wrote half dozen verses stuck them on my mirror. and memorized them while I was dressing. They brought in the different local hits MT. McArdle had suggested and they absolutely brought down the house I remember there were several on the late MT. Frank O Brien, who owned the opera house. Afterward he and I became very close friends on the strength of it, and l always miss him when I come here"
 But to get back to the joke question:: Who writes all the jokes for you min strel men, the funny men of the stage?' asked, and what is joke, anyway"
 A joke is an inspiration MT. Dock stader said 'and depends largely upon the way the teller of the joke gets it over the footlights. I've started out frequently with batch half of which wouldn't go. Then I'd gather together all the best ones-the ones that had gotten laugh and use them and begin to analyze and dissect, synthesze and weigh the others to see what was the matter with them that people didn't laugh. invariably found that the trouble was with me; it is that personality business that gets joke over; and when you don't put it into tfD story, why it falls flat. For in stance, there's nothing especially funny about the following story it's all in the way its told. man asked Kentucky colonel whether there was any other cure for snakebite except whisky. Quick as lightning the Kentuc1Sian replied: Who cares whether there is or not? Again. back hand gang telegraphed to man: Send us $5000 or we will kidnap your wife The husband replied immediately; Price too high, but your proposition in- terests me. Now it's all in the telling of that joke that makes it go. joke is only joke when it is told in funny way and adapted to the trimming, ideas and surroundings of those who hear it''
 The mother-in-law joke is the ancestor of them all-the very best subject, isn't it? I surmsed
 Tt is as dead as Hector said Mir. Dockstader. Its been worked to death The modern joke about people, about cur rent issues takes. better. For instance here is one that is considered very funny when 1t is well told. A news boy rushes into street car and cries: Extra. Alt about the terrible street car catastrophe?' An old lady speaks mp and says: Boy. what is the catastrophe about? The boy answers: "A woman had her eye on d seat and man sat OH it,' l haven't been doing minstrel stunts for quite long time now, and I am rather out of the running when it comes to jokes"
 "specialzing on Teddy these days?' I suggested.