Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-02
INTERVIEWS WITH WIVES
MRS. McSKITT

T HAD always wanted TO have a private talk
l. with the wife of a professional humorist
and greatly welcomed the assignment that
sent me out to Llcorce Hill, the suburb made
famous by Meredith McSkitt, the noted whim-
hurler. The drolleries of this talented wit
have convulsed three hemispheres and in
Vulnerable continents and archipelagoes and
peninsulas. His book, "The Sardonic Sar-
dine" Is even mentioned in Baedekers
United States as one of the things that must
be read by every traveller who wishes TO
understand the saturnine and fantastic
gayety of America.
T FOUND Mrs. McSkitt busy sewing but
i tons on a large acreage of cloth that
at first thought was a horse blanket, but she
explained that 1t her husbands waist
coat She had not expected me, and at first
IL was difficult to persuade her that wanted
to interview her and not her husband. MIR.
McSkitt is in bed" she said, "recuperating
from an afternoon reading at the Women's
Athenaeum. He is I'm great demand at the
women's clubs and finds them very exhaust
ing. He always comes home dreadfully dis
heveled, too. -, Every time he makes a joke
he laughs so tempestuously that his waist
coat buttons get loosened. And then the
women rush up afterward and seize them as
souvenirs. Loosened they are, they come
off easily have to keep an extra supply.
and though I sew them on with number
thread'-She neld up Il SpOOl OF SlIOHB Cdplo
lit doesn't seem to do much good. MIR.
McSkltt laughs so very powerfully"
Being in humorists house, l thought l
might venture on small pun. What you
need is a haw-hawser," l said.
To my dismay she turned quite white.
"I must beg you not to say anything like
that" she whispered. I'VE never allow any
Jokes around the house. There are dreadful
scenes IL MIR. McSkitt overhears them, lie
will not permit any one else to poach OH his
preserves. He is very sensitive about such
matters,
tIN NHRS. McSKITT," 1 said, 81 am very
lW anxious to learn from you what II
feels like TO be the wife of humorlst. 1t
must be an uproarious existence. have
read The Sardonic Sardine,' and The Par
son Who Suffered and all Mr.. McSkitts
other books and l have often envied those
who live In the Same house with so mar
velous a man. Won't you tell me little
about it?"
"Mr. McSkitt was born in 1870" she said,
in a mechanical sort of way; 'he attended
school, was trained for the ministry. married
Henrietta Jones
"I beg your pardon" said. Am to
understand that Mr.. McSkitt has been mar
ried before?"
yes" she murmured. "She died OF mel
ancholis."
you amaze me-" replied Living with
such a man, bubbling over continually with
laughter and
From upstairs heard an imperious voice
believing something indlstingushable. Mrs
McSktt breathed a hasty apology and ran
from the room. Presently heard the bass
rumble Of a masculine voice, followed by
shril screams Of hysterical laughter from
Mrs. McSkitt Her mirth was piercing and
vibrated through the house so that the vases
on the mantepiece trembled.
mot much melancholia there" / thought
"But why does she seem so depressed?"
MFRS. McSKITT returned to the ROOM her
IXl face a little flushed.
81 suppose l may well tell you" she
said. 1T Is very trying living with hunor-
list because he insists on practicing all his
Jokes on his wife beforehand. Whenever Mr.
MeSktt thinks Of anything funny he sum-
mons me and repeats II 10 me. II i don't
yell with laughter he gets SO depressed that
he becomes Ill. have had TO practice artl-
fcial laughter until can scream with APP
parent mirth at a seconds notice. Often he
wakes up In the middle OF the night 10 tell
me some quip and / burst into roars OF an
proyal at once. II didn't he would Keen
pe awake all night explaining why it was so
funny. Humorists are remorseless you
know II you don't laugh at them they viii
murder you.
zone Of my greatest troubles" she went
on, rs the women who are always calling
me up 70 make appointments for Mr. Nc
skitt 10 20 and give humorous recitatlons
70 them AZ clubs and other places They say
how jolly Il must be to live With such q man.
and lhex don't realize It y impossible fol Us