How Compositors Make us Laugh.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 131, 13 June 1901, Page 3

How Compositors Make us Laugh.

Compositors are humorists of the first water —unconscious humorists. Without effort, without turning a hair, they provide humanity with more amusement than could an army of the most brilliant comedians. One of these genial operators lately made a coachman say that he was “ used to drinking ” instead of “ used to driving.” He made a house ten “ months ” walk from a station, and located the house in the “New Eent Bags,” that is, “New Kent Boad.” Ho transformed an “umbrella shade” into an “imbecile” one ; said two parlours were “ common eating,” whereas they wero “communicating ; ” said “ boards of guardians ” wero “ beds of gavdens ; ” and referred to “chess problems” as “those smokems.” Another who deserved a medal from the Boyal Geographical Society for discovering territory, transformed Lake Erie into «Lake Grai,” Cleveland into “ Obenchauch,” Geneva into “ Geosang,” San Francisco into “ Scin Tranaseo,” Deniliquininto “Devil’s Grin,” and the Governor of Newfoundland into tho “ Governess of Northumberland.” In a school advertisement, “Terms, 90 gs. a yr.” he metamorphosed into tho fearsomo word “ Terms, Gogsayar ! ” A bore of an M.P. was made to rise amid cries of “ Durdie, durdic ’’—not “ Divide, divide.” He brought his great intellect to bear on the “ wrecks and casualties,” and edited an ordinary “ list to port” into “long list of casualties to report.” “ Trumps ” was his reading of 1 To-night.’ ‘ Fifty-three’ of < filthy lucre,’ 1 miserable crabs ’ of 1 unsizeable ' ones, and an orator was greeted with 1 loud Christmas,’ not * cheers.’ A monarch was inclosed by hijn in a 1 glowing catalogue,’ instead of a ‘ gloomy catafaique ; ’ ‘ fairy stories ’ were spoken of as ‘ paving stones; ’ and mutton was said to be 1 81 s2d to 83s 4d per lb. wholesale,’ instead of S£d to B}d.