The Best American Humorous Short Stories by Unknown
page 154 of 393 (39%)
page 154 of 393 (39%)
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of Inmates_.
The subjoined Conundrum is not allowed: Why is Hasty Pudding like the Prince? Because it comes attended by its _sweet_; nor this variation to it, _to wit_: Because the _'lasses runs after it_. The Superintendent, who went round with us, had been a noted punster in his time, and well known in the business world, but lost his customers by making too free with their names--as in the famous story he set afloat in '29 _of four Jerries_ attaching to the names of a noted Judge, an eminent Lawyer, the Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, and the well-known Landlord at Springfield. One of the _four Jerries_, he added, was of gigantic magnitude. The play on words was brought out by an accidental remark of Solomons, the well-known Banker. "_Capital punishment_!" the Jew was overheard saying, with reference to the guilty parties. He was understood, as saying, _A capital pun is meant_, which led to an investigation and the relief of the greatly excited public mind. The Superintendent showed some of his old tendencies, as he went round with us. "Do you know"--he broke out all at once--"why they don't take steppes in Tartary for establishing Insane Hospitals?" We both confessed ignorance. "Because there are _nomad_ people to be found there," he said, with a dignified smile. |
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