JEROME K. JEROME, JOKE EXPERT

Lake County Press, Issue 2117, 10 May 1906, Page 2

JEROME K. JEROME, JOKE EXPERT

"Jerura K. Jcrum," as pronounced, but Jerome K. .Jerome as spelled, the "-Mark Twain of .England," was recently interviewed by a correspondent of tiie A r cw York "World." The man that wrote that being poor was no disgrace, wears, with a blue suit a happy smile, a blue scarf and eye glasses. His face is ruddy and the eyes are blue. Mr. .Jerome is slight, and short. He speaks in an undertone and somewhat of a monotone/ a natural ruse to conceal any symptoms of conceit, he having avowed his belief in the thing itself, but not in its manifestations. "I have been reading about William Travcrs .Jerome, your District - Attorney," said Mr. "Jcrum." "Are you going to vote for him V You must attribute to me all the virtues of William Travers Jerome and none of his vices." "Is the birth of a joke accompanied by pain ?" ho was asked. "Jokes are painless." he answered. "They come from heaven. They cannot be manufactured." "How is it you pronounce your name 'Jerum' '?" "In England they have the real old pronunciation. Jt lias been in use for hundreds of years in my family. Perhaps your Mr. Jerome does not pronounce his name as I do because he has not yet caught up with the English way. "My first name is similar to my last, but for this I claim no responsibility. My father gave it to me, and at that time I did not argue the point. Later in life I thought of the subject a good ileal, but it was too late. My objections would not have done any good." * "Bo you find it hard to live up to your reputation ?" "My hardest work has been to live up to my reputation as a humorist. I fried it at first, but soon gave it up. It was Inn much work. "It is quite true, everybody expects me to have a joke or a laugh, but T have a very serious disposition. T have proved that by getting serious. Altogether being serious is no joke." "Can you crack a joke here now ?" "Well, no. Ah ! I might be able to if T took a five-mile walk in the country. I advise, atl humorists to try the country treatment. Jt is splendid for bringing the inspiration." "MUST HAVE A CHANCE." The conversation turned to the subject of Mr. Jacobs, the humorist. "J' was Mr. .Tacobs's first, editor," Mr. Jerome said. "He is very funny. He has his doubts if he ran continue being funny. It is like Br. Doyle's 'Sherlock Holmes.' Jf a man makes a success they want him to repeat it, all along the same line. A man can't keep on doing this. He must have a change. "A writer's second effort along the same line might, be just as good as the first, but the effect wouldn't be as good. Kipling is a, realistic poet, not, a humorist." "Can you give a definition of a joke, Mi*. Jerome '.'" "I have been trying to do if for twenty years and can't." "Why is it the Americans can't appreciate English jokes ?" "Americans ought to appreciate JOnglish humour, and 1 can't, understand why tlvey don't, because much of it is cribbed from you Americans. There may be only thirteen original jokes, as some great, man has said, but, you can make thirteen limes thirteen, and (hen thirteen times more, and then bring in the variations. And then you would start, them over again every thirty-three years. Yes, J figure it as thirty-three years whim you would begin to tell the old jokes again." "Mr. Jerome, in order to protect your business, do you believe in a law to put in prison, others who steal your jokes ')" "No ; I should not advocate a law against, persons stealing jokes. For. in the lirst place, it would be too easy to convict, and, in the second place, your prisons would be too full." "Have you been asked what ,you think of America from what you have seen of it. '.'" "Yes; 1 was asked that question when 1 boarded the ship at Southampton. 1 hope J shall find American audiences as appreciative as the audience u.\ the concert on board the steamer. They saw the joke before I had got to Ihe last word." "Is it necessary for an Englishman to listen to the last word to appreciat c a joke '.'" Mr. Jerome avoided a direct reply. The English humorist said he had . become acquainted with Mark Twain through the circumstance thai (hey both sent their children in London to the nuitie gymnasium. When they met, the two humorists talked of very serious subjects, such as tinfuture of woman. At the ship's concert Mr. Jerome read from his observations on the ready translations' or familiar phrases in French and English printed on the backs of programmes and ill travellers' handbooks. lie said he understood a manager ami an actor were quarrelling over here about a play of his, but as a . mailer of fact he had never written a play in his Jil'e for either of them. That was where the juke came in. I'AI.I.INC IT.OM A PRECIPICE Professor Albert Heim, the wellknown geologist and Alpine climber, lias just described at a meeting of ihe swiss Alpine Club the sensat ions e\perieiu-ed by him while falling from a precipice. He was not troubled in breathing. and fell none of Hint pa rnly si tig i ,>in >r w Inch so ol teii o\ el'w It.'l Mr- men when face In face with some sudden, awful catastrophe Ile feit i ratiiiuil. bill endow ed wit hj unusual men'a! activity. Yari ..I thoughts and ideas Hashed rapidly through his brain, and a thousand long-forgotten incidents cam" pleasantly to hi-- memory Then came a sound as oi soft soothing music, and a' the ins! ant he knew he had si ni'k the ground lv lost consciousness absolutely, wit hunt pain or the slightest sensat ion of shock. V. hat >s reported to be tlie most successful solder for aluminium yet secured, consists o| tin til parts by weight, zinc .".<i parts, lead 1 part and aluminium 1 pari. tow Inch add a :■ ma" pmi ion ol' resin. To solder, dean the slirfaci s and laces wit hj the -older. \o chemical is use,l, but. the effaces of lhe pur's to be soldered should be eentb heated to assist ill making a go_yd adhesion.