Judge — February 9, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

n by Cauvert Satie PEN PRODUCE FROM THE FARM By Water Pricnarp Eaton Nature Essayist and Dramatic Critic HAVE read at least four ponderous tomes which attempted to define humor, written, of course, by men without any, and I am still in the dark. Why isa Scotch terrier humorous? It isn’t because he is small, for there is nothing funny about a Pomeranian, which is merely nauseating. Does one have to feel a sense of superiority in order to detect humor—i. ¢., you are standing up firmly when the other man slips on the ice? How about the two men who fall simultaneously, and both sit up, looking at each other, and burst into laughter? Is humor a pleasant and unexpected de- parture from the normal? What about the woman who always says, “Well, the world is a small place, isn’t it?” when she learns we know her cousins, the Joneses? What about the humor of the epigram which packs truth in a phrase? Then again, what about the humor of the fantastic tale which is a solemn lie? How include Shaw and Barrie in the same definition? And how account for the very humorous idea that the “American sense of humor” isan extensive and superior thing? I giveitall up. IfI could define humor, Icould probably produce it, and then I’down abig farm, like George Ade, or write for The Saturday Evening Post, like Irvin Cobb. COLD REVENGE By Artuur B. Reeve Creator of The Scientific Detective INCE you (the Editor) discovered “Craig Kennedy” seven or eight years ago, do you think you'll have your revenge at this late date by making him re- discover “humor”? On this zero day I can think of nothing but that one man’s humor is another man’s grouch. Tue Mystery or THE Missinc Snore WHY DOES A MONKEY LIKE SUGAR? Dr. Frank Crane Exeryday Philosopher LL instincts point to the preservation of life. Generally speaking, the things we like are best for us. Humor is whatever gratifies a certain desire. We like sugar because it is sweet, water because it slakes thirst, slippers because they’re easy, furs because they’re warm. So we like certain concepts of the mind becaawe they are funny. To ask why, is as if we asked why a monkey likes sugar. I think it is Voltaire who said that whoever shall explain why the emotion of pleasure causes the zygo- matic muscle to draw the corners of the mouth up toward the ears, may indeed be entitled to call himself a philosopher. THE CRUEL IF OBVIOUS JIBE By James Montcomery Fiacc trtist and Wit I SHOULD say that a good example is an editor of a humorous paper looking over the files of his publi- cation at the frozen tail-end of the year, crack- ing off a few frozen tears and taking his frozen pen in his numbed fingers, writing slowly and painfully to his contributors, asking them what humor is! That is an example. Now for a definition— Humor is the realization of the difference between the ignorance and frailty of humanity and the Infinite. Humor is the spirit without which Heaven would be Hell! These are two definitions—there are 8,548,900 others that I haven’t got time to write. comicbooks.com