The American Joe Miller: A Collection of Yankee Wit and Humor
John Stuart Mill · en
I suppose the reason whi wimmin are so fast talkers, iz bekauze tha
don't hav tew stop tew spit on their hands. After Joseph's brotheren
had beat him out ov hiz cut ov many cullars, what did tha dew nex? Tha
pittied him! Thare iz nothing in this life that will open the pores
ov a man so mutch, as tew fall in luv; it makes him as fluent az a
tin whissell, az limber az a boy's watch chain, and az perlite as a
dansing-master; hiz harte iz az full ov sunshine az a hay-field, and
there aint any more guile in him than there iz in a stik ov merlasses
candy. Thare iz a grate number ov ways for folks tew make phools of
themselfs, but thare iz one way so simple, i wonder nobody haz ever
tried it, and that iz tew run after real-estate advertizements. Thare
don't seem tew be enny end tew the ambishun ov men, but thare iz one
thing that sum ov them will find out if tha ever dew git tew Heaven,
and that iz tha can't git enny further. He who can hold awl he gits,
kan most generally get more, I serpoze if a commisshun should cum
from Heaven tew gather up awl the intrinsick literature among men, a
common-sized angel kould fly off with the whole ov it under one wing
and not lug him mutch. Yu kant alwus tell a gentleman by hiz clothes,
but yu kan bi hiz finger nails. Adam invented "_luv at first sight_,"
one of the greatest laber-saving machines the world ever saw. It iz
a grave question, whether, in curtailing superfluitys in these hard
times, we have a moral right tew cut oph a dorg's tale tew save the
expense ov boarding it. I hav herd a grate deal ced about "_broken
hartes_," and thare may be a few of them, but mi experiense iz that
nex tew the gizzard, the harte iz the tuffest peace ov meat in the
whole critter.
TWO THINGS MADE TO BE LOST.--280.
A country editor comes to the conclusion that there are two things
that were made to be lost--sinners and umbrellas.
REASONS ENOUGH.--281.
An editor complained that he could not sleep one night, summing up the
causes:--A wailing baby, sixteen months old; a howling dog under the
window; a cat-fight in the alley; a nigger serenade in a shanty over
the way; a toothache; and a pig trying to get in at the back-door.
LOW-NECKED FROCKS.--282.
The Rev. Mr. Sniffkins has recorded in his diary that three
conspicuous low-necked frocks in a congregation will neutralize the
effect of the best discourse that ever was preached.
EMERSON AND THEODORE PARKER.--283.
There is an allegorical story current that once, immediately after
Theodore Parker had parted from Ralph Waldo Emerson on the road to
Boston, a crazy Millerite encountered Parker, and cried: "Sir, do
you not know that the world is coming to an end?" Upon which Parker
replied: "My good man, that doesn't concern me; I live in Boston."
The same fanatic, overtaking Emerson, announced in the same terms the
approach of the end of the world, upon which Emerson replied: "I am
glad of it, sir; man will get along much better without it!"
HOW TO GO MAD.--284.