American Humour.

Otago Witness, Issue 2605, 17 February 1904, Page 73

American Humour.

An American woman ina<ls the ascent of "Vesuvius with c small party which included Mrs Cook, widow of the famous tourist manager. The display within the crater was unusually fine, which the American, at dinner, smilingly attributed to the presence of Mrs Cook.

After several moments ox silence kwo Englishmen exclaimed in one- breath, "But how -could they manage that?'' How anofh&r pieeo of American humour was "managed" is told by the Rev. DrHiUis, of Brooklyn. He, with many other American scholars, attended an educational conference at Edinburgh last eununer, and Bat at dinner beside a Scottish professor. "I have had some correspondcinee with Professor 8., of Chicago,"' began the Scot. "la there any possibility of your knowing him?"

"Very well," w&s the cordial reply, "and he happens io be sitting ?t the- next table, th© ibani man froio. tH© end."

"Indeed !" replied the astonished Scot. '1 have also had scree lette-rs from Professor 0., of the University of Michigan. Probably you know nothing of him?" "On the contrary, I kaow him, very well. There he siti, near the corner of the room; the man with whiek-ers a^d gold spectacles."

Thia was too much of a coincidence for the nettled metaphysician, who regarded it merely as American humour ; but he went on stiffly: "W^-11, sir, I have had relations with another American, a minister near New York, one Th Hill is " "Oh," laughed back tho other, tapping nirnself on the breast, "I am h-c-."' With a snort of indignation the Soot fled the room. As the New York Tribune explains, "American humour had been carried too far."