World of laughing
1. Money And Friends
"Since he lost his money,
half his friends don't know him any more"
"And the other half ?"
"They don't know yet that
has lost it"
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2. Father Wants To Go
To Bed
Next-door
Neighbor's Little Boy : "Father say could you lend him your cassette player
for tonight ?"
Heavy -
Metal Enthusiast : "Have you a party on ?"
Little Boy : "Oh, no. Father only
wants to go to bed ".
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3. The River
Isn't Deep
A stranger on horse back came to
a river with which he was unfamiliar. The traveller asked a youngster if it was deep.
"No", replied the boy,
and the rider started to cross, but soon found that he and his horse had to swim for their
lives.
When the traveller reached the
other side he turned and shouted : "I thought you said it wasn't deep ?"
"It isn't", was the
boy's reply : "it only takes grandfather's ducks up to their middles !"
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4. My
Daughter's Music Lessons
"My daughter's music
lessons are a fortune to me ?"
"How is that ?"
"They enabled me to buy the
neighbors' houses at half price".
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5. A
Policeman And A Reporter
Country Policeman (at the scene
of murder) : "You can't come in here"
Reporter : "But I've been
sent to do the murder"
Country Policeman : "Well,
you're too late; the murder's been done".
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6. A Cow Grazing
Artist : "That, sir, is a
cow grazing"
Visitor : "Where is the
grass ?"
Artist : "The cow has eaten
it"
Visitor : "But where is the
cow ?"
Artist : "You don't suppose
she'd be fool enough to stay there after she'd eaten all the grass, do you ?"
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7. Let's Work
Together
"Can you tell me how to get
to the post office ?"
"That's just where I want
to go. Let's work together. You go south, and I'll go north, and we'll report progress
every time we meet"
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8.
The French People Have Difficulty
"Did you have any
difficulty with your French in Paris ?"
"No, but the French people
did"
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9. Great Mystery
Newsboy : "Great mystery!
Fifty victims! Paper, mister ?"
Passerby : "Here boy, I'll
take one" (After reading a moment) "Say, boy,
there's nothing of the kind in this paper. Where is it ?"
Newsboy : "That's the
mystery, sir. You're the fifty first victim".
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10.
Why Do They Have French Lesson?
"What's the idea of the
Greens having French lessons ?"
"They have adopted a French
baby, and want to understand what she says when she begins to talk".
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11. The Hen
And The Dog
Jones : "Sorry, old man,
that my hen got loose and scratched up your garden"
Smith : "That's all right,
my dog ate your hen"
Jones : "Fine! I just ran
over your dos and killed him".
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12. Our Faults
"Once a friend of mine and
I agreed that it would be helpful for each of us to tell the other all our faults"
"How did it work ?"
"We haven't spoken for five
years".
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13. She's My Wife
One of the guest turned to a man
by his side to criticize the singing of the woman who was trying to entertain them.
"What a terrible voice! Do
you know who she is ?"
"Yes", was the answer.
"She's my wife"
"Oh, I beg your pardon. Of
course, it isn't her voice, really. It's the stuff she has to sing. I wonder who wrote
that awful song ?"
"I did", was the answer.
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14. The Difference Between Valor And Discretion
"What's the difference
between valor and discretion ?"
"Well, to go to a swell
restaurant without tipping the waiter would be valor"
"I see. And discretion
?"
"That would be to dine at a
different restaurant the next day".
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15. Flattering
Critic : "Ah! And what is
this ? It is superb! What soul! What expression!"
Artist : "Yeah ? That's
where I clear the paint off my brushes".
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16. Cigar Fruit
Gardener : "This is a
tobacco plant in full flower, madam"
Dear Old Lady : "How very
interesting! And how long will it be before the cigars are ripe ?"
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17.
Downstairs And Upstairs
Downstairs : "Didn't you
hear me pounding on the ceiling ?"
Upstairs : "Oh, that's all
right. We were making a lot of noise ourselves".
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18. Time
"Don't you agree that Time
is the greatest healer ?"
"He may be, but he's
certainly no beauty specialist".
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19. Borrowing Money
"Glad to see you, old man.
Can you lend me five dollars ?"
"Sorry, but I haven't a
cent with me today"
"And at home ?"
"They're all very well, thank you, very well".
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20. How Many Knaves Live In This Street ?
A wag asked his friend.
"How many knaves do you
suppose live in this street besides yourself ?"
"Beside myself !"
replied the other. "Do you mean to insult me ?"
"Well, then ?" said
the first, "how many do you reckon including yourself ?"
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21.
Life - Size Enlargements
"Do you make life-size
enlargements of snapshot ?"
"That's our specialty"
"Fine : here's a picture I
took of the Pyramid"
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22. Terrible
Experience
Miss Gushin : "It must be
wonderful to be a parachute jumper. I suppose you've had some terrible experiences"
Parachutist (fed up with her) :
"Yes, miss, terrible. Why, once I came down where there was a sign : "Keep Off
The Grass"".
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23. Don't
Be So Conceited
Smith : "I keep hearing the
word 'Idiot' - I hope you are not referring to me"
Jones : "Don't be so
conceited. As if there are no other idiots in the world!"
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24. Anything Will Do
Musician (after much pressing) :
"Well, all right, since you insist. What shall I play ?"
Host : "Anything you like,
It is only to annoy the neighbors".
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25. Naming Animals
Adam and Eva were naming the
animals of the earth when along came a rhinoceros.
Adam : "What shall we call
this one ?"
Eva : "Let's call it a
rhinoceros"
Adam : "Why ?"
Eva : "Well, because it
looks more like a rhinoceros than anything we're named yet".
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26. Statues
Country Cousin (after prolonged
inspection of building operations) : "I don't see the sense of putting statues on top
of your buildings"
Friend : "Statues ? Those
aren't statues. They're bricklayers".
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27. Man -
Eating Lion
Old Lady (at the zoo) : "Is
that a man-eating lion ?"
Fed - up Keeper : "Yes,
lady, but we're short of men this week, so all he gets is beef".
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28. Identified
"This check is doubtless
all right," said the paying teller politely, "but have you anything about you by
which you could be identified ?
The pretty young thing faltered,
"I have a mole high up above my left knee".
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29. It Wasn't Me
"Hello, Frank, I thought
you were dead ?"
"Oh", said Frank,
"they did get a story around that I was dead, but it was another man, I knew it
wasn't me as soon as I heard of it"
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30. A Great
Discovery ?
"Purely by accident, I have
made one of the greatest discoveries," said the scientist.
"May I ask what it was
?"
"I found," - said the
scientist, "that by keeping a bottle of ink handy you can use a fountain pen just
like any other pen, without all the trouble to filling it".
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31. Has
The Dinner-Bell Rung ?
"My dear sir, you flatter
me lingering to hear the remainder of my tale when the other passengers dashed away at the
sound of the dinner-bell." Said the longwinded tourist to his one remaining listener.
"What! Has the dinner-bell
rung ?" asked the other, as he jumped to his feet ands dashed toward the dining room.
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32. A Popular Song
"So that is a popular song
he's singing ?"
"It was before he sang
it".
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33. A Portrait
Host (doing the honors) :
"And that is a portrait of me great - great - grandfather"
Visitor : " Wonderful !
Why, he doesn't look any older than you !"
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34. A Gift
From Sister
She : "Where did you get
that umbrella ?"
He : "It was a gift from
sister"
She : "You told me you
hadn't any sisters"
He : "I know. But that's
what engraved on the handle".
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35.
Haircut Free Of Charge
A man entered a barber's shop
with a boy of five or six years of age holding his hand. He was in a great hurry and he
asked the barber to cut his hair first and later to cut the boy's hair.
"He can wait, I want you to
cut my hair first," he said.
The barber did as he was told
and when he has finished the man got out of the chair and the boy tool his place. The man
excused himself and said that he would be back in a few minutes and would pay for them
both. Then he left and the barber began to cut the boy's hair. When he had finished he
picked the boy up and placed him in a chair to wait. He gave him a magazine to look at.
A half hour passed. An hour
passed. At last the barber said :
"Don't worry, your father
will be back soon"
"My father ?" said the
boy. "He isn't my father, I was playing in the street and he came along and said :
"Come on with me, little boy. Let's go into this barber's shop together and have our
hair cut".
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36. May I Go
In To Swim ?
Overheard on the beach at a
coast resort.
Small boy to his mother :
"Mummy, may I go in to swim ?"
"Certainly not, my dear,
it's far too deep"
"But daddy is
swimming"
"Yes, dear, but he's
insured".
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37. A City Idler
A good - for - nothing city
idler had inherited a country grocery store. He was taking his ease alongside the counter
in his favorite chair when a customer came in and asked for a dozen apples.
"I can't wait on you to
day" said the ex-city man. "Come in some other time when I'm standing up".
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38. B. C 1187
Two men, who were visiting a
Museum, were seen standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, over which hung a placard
bearing the inscription : "B.C. 1187"
Both visitors were much
mystified thereby
"What do you make of that,
Jim ?"
"Well", said Jim,
"I don't know; but maybe it was the number of the motorcar that killed him".
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39. Boying Ambition
"Where any of your boyish
ambitions ever realized ?"
Yes, When my mother used to cut
my hair I often wished I might be bard headed"
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40. Three Sons
Three proud mothers discussing
their eight-year-old sons.
"I just know my little
Johnnie is going to be an engineer," said the first.
"Whenever I buy him a toy,
he tears it apart to see what makes it work"
The second said, "I'm so
proud of Freddie, I just know he's going to be a fine lawyer. He argues with the other
kids all the time"
"No question about
it", said the third mother, "little Harold is destined to be a doctor, Why, he
never comes when I called him!"
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41. What'll I Do ?
Neighbor : "Did I bring
your lawn mower back last month ?"
Indignant Householder :
"No, you did not"
Neighbor : "Now what'll I
do ? I want to borrow it again ?"
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42.
Creative Imagination
A well-known Royal Academician
who noticed a drawing of a fish by a pavement-artist asked the man what sort of fish it
was supposed to be.
"A shark, sir !"
"But you've never seen a
shark," said the R.A
"That's true, sir",
the man agreed : "but then, don't some of those Academy chaps paints angels ?"
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43. Guess
Who Sent Them
A young couple that had received
many valuable wedding presents established their home in a suburb.
One morning they received in the
mail two tickets for a popular show in the city, with a single line : "Guess who sent
them"
The pair had much amusement in
trying to identify the donor, but failed in the effort. They duly attended the theatre,
and had a delightful time. On their return home late at night, still trying to guess the
identity of the unknown host, they found the house stripped of every article of value. And
on the table in the dining room was a piece of paper on which was written in the same hand
as the enclosure with the tickets : "Now you know !"
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44. How Are
You On Speed ?
Head of Business College :
"In teaching shorthand and typewriting, we are strong for accuracy"
Inquirer : "How are you on
speed ?"
Head of Business College :
"Well, of last year's
class, six married their employers within six months."
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45. Congratulations !
"I painted something for
the Academy last year"
"Was it hung ?"
"Yes, near the entrance
where everybody could see it"
"Congratulation ! What was
it ?"
"A board saying, 'Keep to
the left' " .
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46. An Imitation
An artist famous for painting
animals was motoring through Iowa, when he saw a very animated looking bull. Thinking he
would like to take him on canvas, he got permission of the owner. In due time he produced
an excellent likeness of the bull, which he sold for five hundred dollars. On seeing the
farmer a year later, he told him he had sold the picture of his bull for the price.
"Good Lord !"
exclaimed the old farmer. "Why. I would have sold two real bulls for less than that
one imitation of yours."
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47.
You Should Have Thought Of That
"I don't like these photos
at all", said a client. "I look like an ape."
The photographer, famous for his
wit as well as for his art, favored him with a glance of lofty disdain.
"You should have thought of
that before you had them taken," was his reply as he turned back to work.
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48. THE SUNSET
Father : "This is the
sunset my daughter painted. She studied painting abroad, you know."
Friend : "Ah, that accounts
for it ! I never saw a sunset like that in this country."
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49. Soiled Currency
"I hope you are not afraid
of microbes", apologized the paying teller as he cashed the schoolteacher's check
with soiled currency.
"Don't worry," said
the young lady, "a microbe couldn't live on my salary."
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50.
Why Do You Go On The Balcony ?
Wife : "Why do you go on
the balcony when I sing ? Don't you like to hear me ?"
Husband : "It isn't that. I
want the neighbors to see that I'm not beating my wife."
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51. Revenge
They were having a musical
evening, and the hostess asked the celebrated basso to sing another song.
"I'm afraid it's too
late," he replied, "I should disturb the people in the neighboring house."
"And a good thing,
too," replied the lady. "They poisoned our dog last week."
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52. Making Conclusions From The Looks
A very thin man met a very fat
man in the hotel lobby.
"From your looks",
said the flat man, "there might have been a famine."
"Yes," was the reply,
"and from your looks, you might have caused it."
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53. My Mom Can Do That !
Teacher was giving her class a
little weekly talk on paining, illustrated by reproductions of famous pictures.
"Sir Joshua Reynolds,"
she said, "Was able to change a smiling face into a frowning one with a single troke
of the brush."
"Huh," little Johnnie
was heard to mutter, "my maw kin do that!"
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54. The
Applicant's Honesty
A man once applied for a job in
a dry-goods house. His appearance wasn't prepossessing and references were demanded. After
some hesitation, he gave the name of a driver in the firm's employ. This driver, he
thought, would vouch for him. A clerk sought out the driver, and asked him if the
applicant was honest.
"Honest ?" the driver
said. "Why, his honesty's been proved again and again. To my sertain knowledge he's
been arrested nine times for stealing and every time he was acquitted."
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55. Qualified
Manager : "Are you sure you
are qualified to lead a hard rock band ?"
Applicant : "Absolutely,
I've had two nervous breakdowns, I was shellshocked when in the army, and I live in an
apartment above a family with twelve noisy children."
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56. The Hobo And The Plain-Clothes Man
"Give me a dime for a cup
of coffee ?" asked the hobo of the plain-clothes man.
"Do you ever work ?"
said the plain-clothes man
"Now and then."
"What do you do ?"
"This and that."
"Where ?"
"Oh, here and there."
The plain-clothes man took him
to the police station.
"When do I get out of here
?" wailed the hobo.
"Sooner or later,"
growled the desk sergeant.
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57. Weather
Man's Order
Weather Man : "Put down
rain for a certainty this afternoon."
Assistant : "Are you sure,
sir ?"
Weather Man : "Yes, in deed
I've lost my umbrella. I'm planning to play golf, and my wife's giving a lawn party."
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58.
My Daughter's Voice Is Improving
"My daughter is having her
voice cultivated."
"Is it improving ?"
"It's growing stronger. She
used to be heard only two apartments away. Now we got complaints from away off in the next
building."
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59. Absent-Minded Professor
A family living in an apartment
house in the suburbs of a large city had a cat to which they were very much attached. One
day the cat got sick and finally died. As there was no rear yard to their home in which to
bury the cat, father was forced to wrap the cat up in a newspaper and take it with him,
being carefully reminded by mother to toss the bundle from the train window when en route
to his work.
Father placed his bundle upon
the baggage rack over his seat, but struck up in a conversation with a fellow commuter and
forgot to toss the bundle out the window. He took the package onto his office, thinking
that he would dispose of it on the way home that evening. But again he got to talking to
someone on the train, forgot about the cat, and still had the bundle under his arm when he
arrived home. His wide scolded him about it and father promised to take care of the matter
the next day. But once more his memory failed him. When for the third time he arrived home
still carrying the bundle, poor mother became more angry.
"You've got to dispose of
that cat right now," she said "Put it in the furnace right now as the fireman is
seldom there at this hour."
Well, father decided perhaps
he'd better take it to the basement and put it in the furnace, but as he lifted the bundle
from a table it fell open, and look at behold there was - a boiled ham !
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60. Never
Refuse Anything
A clerk in a miscellaneous store
was serving a caller. The manager was at a desk some distance away, but he overheard the
clerk say : "No, madam, we haven't had any for a long time."
"Oh, yes, we have,"
interrupted the manager; "I will send to the warehouse immediately and have some
brought for you."
The lady went out laughing. The
manager turned to the clerk : "Never refuse anything; always sent out for it."
"Well, you see,"
replied the clerk, "she said to me, "We haven't had any rain lately."
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61. Ordering A Razor
A certain young man wrote the
following letter to a prominent business firm, ordering a razor :
"Dear Sirs - Please find
enclosed 50c for one of your razors as advertised and oblige - John Jones.
"P. S - I forget to enclose
the 50c, but no doubt a firm of your high standing will send the razor anyway."
The firm addressed received the
letter and replied as follows :
"Dear Sir - Your most
valued order received the other day and will say in reply that we are sending the razor as
per request, and hope that it will prove satisfactory.
"P. S - We forgot to
enclose the razor, but no doubt have no need of it."
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62.
The Doctor And The Aristocrat
A doctor was called in to see a
rather testy aristocrat.
"Well, sir, what's the
matter ?" he asked cheerily.
"That, sir," growled
the patient, "is for you to find out."
"I see," said the
doctor thoughtfully, "Well, if you excuse me for an hour or so, I'll go along a fetch
a friend of mine - a veterinarian. He is the only chap I know who can make a diagnosis
without asking questions."
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63. To
Be Drunk Is A Disgrace
On a pleasant Sunday afternoon
an old German and his youngest son were seated in the village inn. The father had partaken
liberally of the beer, and was warning his son against the evils of intemperance.
"Never drink too much, my
son. A gentleman stops when he has enough. To be drink is a disgrace."
"Yes, Father, but how can I
tell when I have enough or I am drunk ?"
The old man pointed with his
finger.
"Do you see those two men
sitting in the corner. If you should see four men there, you would know that you were
drunk."
The boy looked long and
earnestly. After a time, in puzzled tones, he said :
"Yes, Father, but - but -
there is only one man in that corner."
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64. Too
Highly Colored
"Your narrative is too
highly colored," remarked the editor, returning the bulky manuscript.
"In what way?"
inquired the disappointed author.
"Why," replied the
editor, "in the very first chapter you make the old man turn purple with rage, the
villain turn green with envy, the hero turn white with anger, the heroine turn red with
blushes, and the coachman turn blue with cold."
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65.
How To Compile A Dictionary
"How did you compile your
great dictionary ?" the lexicographer was asked.
"Oh, it was something like
having a quarrel with one's wife - one word led to another."
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66. Unexpected News
A young clerk was called to the
front office.
"Of all my clerks,"
began the boss, "I noticed you seem to be most interested in your work. No hours seem
too long for you and you never let the slightest detail escape you."
"Yes, sir ?" said the
clerk with glowing and expectant satisfaction.
"Yes," continued the
boss, "And so I am forced to fire you. It is such young men as you who learn here and
then go out and start a rival business."
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67. A Yard Of Pork
A man went into a butcher's
shop, and finding the owner's wife in attendance in the absence of her husband, thought he
would have a joke at her expense, and said, "Madam, can you supply me with a yard of
pork ?"
"Yes, sir," said she.
And then turning to a boy, she added, "James, give that gentleman three pig's feet
!"
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68. Please Give The Steak Another Shock
Waiter : "Yes, sir, we're
very up to date. Everything here is cooked by electricity."
Diner : "I wonder if you
would mind giving this steak another shock ?"
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69. I've Got A
Parrot
"Glad to see you getting in
on time these mornings. Mr. Latterly. " Said the store manager.
"Yes, sir, I've got a
parrot now."
"A parrot ? What for ? I
advised you to get an alarm clock!"
"I did, sir, but after a
few mornings I got used to it, and it failed to wake me. So I got a parrot and now when I
retire I hang the alarm clock over his cage. It wakes the parrot, and what the bird says
would arouse anybody."
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70. Christmas Cards
A young man approached the
counter at which Christmas cards were being sold.
"Have you anything
sentimental ?" he asked.
"Here's a lovely one,"
replied the salesgirl. "To The Only Girl I Ever Loved."
"That's fine. I'll take
four - no - six of those, please."
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71. A
Painless Dentist
Dinah had been having trouble
with an ulcerated tooth for some time before she got up enough courage to go to a dentist.
The moment he touched her tooth she screamed bloody murder.
"What are you making such
noise for ?" demanded the doctor. "Don't you know that I'm a "painless
dentist" ?"
"Well, sah," retorted
Dinah, "mebbe yo'is Painless, but Ah isn't. (Well, sir, maybe you're painless but I'm
not
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72. What Time Is It ?
First Drunkard : "Say, know
what time is it ?"
Second Drunkard :
"Yeah."
First Drunkard :
"Thanks."
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73. The Effect Of Advertising
Editor : "Does it pay to
advertise in my paper ? Well, I should say it does. Look at Smith, the grocer, for
instance. He advertised for a boy last week, and the, very next day Mrs. Smith had twins -
both boys."
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74. Wish You Success
"I hope your recent
marriage has turned out a great success," A journalist interviewed a famous
playwright.
Playwright : "Oh, quite !
I've already made three plays out of my wife's past."
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75. The Legend On The Salary Receipt Forms
A certain firm had the following
legend printed on its salary receipt forms :
"Your salary is your
personal business, and should not be disclosed to anyone."
The new employee, in signing the
receipt added :
"I won't mention it to
anybody. I'm as much ashamed of is as you are."
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76. The Bird Is Lame
A man bought a canary from a pet
store.
"You're sure this bird can
sing ?" he said suspiciously.
"He's a grand singer."
The customer left. A week later
he reappeared.
"Say! This bird you sold me
is lame!"
"What, what did you want a
singer or a dancer ?"
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77. In The
Bank Lobby
"Did anybody drop a roll of
bills with a rubber band around them ?" asked an old man.
"Yes, I did," said
several voices in the bank lobby.
"Well, I just picked up the
rubber band," said the old gentleman calmly.
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78. Flexible Comb
Salesman : "Ladies and
gentlemen, I have here the famous flexible comb that will stand any kind of treatment. You
can bend it double - you can hit it with a hammer - you can twist it - you can - "
Interested Listener : "Say,
mister, can you comb your hair with it ?"
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79. If You
Thought...
Doctor : "Would you have
the price if I said you needed an operation ?"
Patient : "Would you say I
needed an operation if you thought I didn't have the price ?"
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80. Doing
Three Men's Work
Employee : "I have been
here 10 years doing three men's work for one man's pay. Now I want a raise.
Employer (slightly Scotch) :
"I can't give you a raise but if you'll tell me who the other two men are I'll
discharge them."
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81. We Began In A Small Way Ourselves
Two financiers who were partners
discovered that an office boy in their employ had been tampering with the petty cash.
One of them was so much enraged
that he desired to send for the police, but the other man was a calm and just man.
He took a moderate humane vies of the situation.
"No, no," he said :
"let us always remember that we began in a small way ourselves."
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82.
Why Does The Dog Watch Me Eat ?
Guest : "Why does your dog
sit there and watch me eat?"
Hotel Host : "I can't
imagine, unless it's because you have the plate he usually eats from."
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83. Modern
Bathing Suit
Fair Customer (to salesman
displaying modern bathing suit) : "And you're sure this bathing suit won't shrink ?
"
Salesman : "No, miss; it
has nowhere to shrink to."
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84. Not Today, Madam
A firm advertised for a
stenographer and next morning was overwhelmed with applicants. The office boy was told to
admit no more.
Shortly after this an aggressive
lady arrived, and pushing her way past the others, demanded to see the boss. By this time
the office boy had grown deaf to all protestations, and had one answer.
"Not today, madam" he
said.
"But I'm his wife."
"Not today, madam" was
the inexorable answer.
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85. Autobiography
Editor : "Did you ever
write anything before ?"
Authoress : "Oh, yes, I
wrote an autobiography once."
Editor : "Did the editor
send back ?"
Authoress : "No, he came
all the way from New York to San Francisco to marry me."
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86. Shoe And Feet
A clerk in a shoe store was
trying to persuade his customer that a certain pair of uncomfortable shoes fitted him.
"Those shoes are too narrow
and too pointed," said the customer.
"Oh, said the
salesman," but they era in fashion. People are wearing narrow, pointed shoes this
season."
"That may
be," answered the suffering gentleman, "But unfortunately, I am still
wearing my last season?s feet."
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87. Watchdog
A family moved from the city to
the suburbs, and were told they ought to get a watchdog to guard the premises at night. So
they bought the largest dog that was for sale in the kennels of a nearby dealer.
Shortly afterwards the house was
entered by burglars, who made a good haul while the dog slept. The householder went to the
dealer and told him about it.
"Well, what you need
now," said the dealer, "is a little dog to wake up the big dog !"
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88.
Talking To San Francisco
A certain sales manager has a
very loud voice. One morning, when he was shouting in his office, the managing director
asked his secretary, "What's was all this noise about ?"
"Mr. Blank is talking to
San Francisco, sir" was the reply.
"Then why on earth doesn't
he use the telephone ?" asked the managing director.
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89.
How Did You Put It Together ?
Williams was always a bad payer,
but one day he walked into the shop of the local grocer, and paid the whole of his account
without a murmur.
"That letter you send me
did it," he explained to the man behind the counter. "I've never seen one like
it. Why, it would get money out of a stone. How did you put it together ?"
The grocer smiled sadly.
"I took the best bit out of
the letter my wife sent me when she was vacationing at an expensive resort," he
explained.
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90. A New Job
The young man who answered the
classified advertisement, "Opportunity of a Lifetime," found himself in
the presence of a nervous individual.
"What I am looking for is
somebody to do all my worrying," he explained, "Your job will be to shoulder all
my cares."
"That's some job, how much
do I get ?" asked the applicant.
"You get $20,000 to make
every worry of mine your own," replied the overwrought individual.
"Where is the $20,000
coming from ?"
"Ah, that's your first
worry !"
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91. A Very Rare Old Revolver
Antique Dealer : "Here I
have a very rare old revolver from the time of the Romans.
Customer : "But surely they
didn't use revolvers ?
Antique Dealer : "Ah that's
why it's so rare."
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92.
Entertaining Customer
"Mr. Smith," said the
head of the firm, "I noticed there's a considerable item for meals in your expense
account."
"Er - I was entertaining
customers and prospective buyer, sir."
"All right, I'm not
complaining, but I hope you will bear in mind that we are selling tractors, and no blue
bird ever buys tractor."
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93.
How Did You Make Your Fortune ?
"How did you make your
fortune ?"
"I became the partners of a
rich man; he had the money and I had experience."
"How did that help ?"
"Now he has experience and
I have the money."
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94. Reorganization
"Our bank has just gone
through a reorganization."
"What was the mater ?"
"We found we had more
vice-presidents than depositors."
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95. Making
reservations
A man wrote to a hotel to make
reservations and asked if dogs were allowed.
The hotel manager answered his
letter as follows :
"I've been in this business
for thirty years. I have never had to call the police to eject a disorderly dos. Never had
a dog set fire to a bed with a cigarette. I have never found a hotel towel or blanket in a
dog's suitcase. Certainly the dog will be welcome."
"P.S. If you dog will vouch
for you, you can come along too."
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96. Anything Ready - Made
A rather stout woman was making
herself a nuisance in the big store which was holding its annual sale. Nothing, it seemed,
would suit her, and the unfortunate salesgirl was beginning to get a little weary.
"Haven't you anything
ready-made that will fit me ?" asked the customer at last.
"Yes; the umbrellas and the
handkerchiefs are downstairs, madam," the girl replied.
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97. A Village Idiot
When a village idiot blossomed
out all of a sudden in new clothes, the neighbors wondered the his prosperity.
"What's happened to you
?" asked one of them.
"I won the first prize in
the lottery," he answered.
"How did you come to guess
the lucky number ?"
"Well, three times running
I dreamed of seven ; so I figured it out that three times seven is twenty-four, and I
bought ticket number 24. I won the first prize."
"Why, you fool, three times
seven is twenty-one, not twenty-four."
"Gosh, is that so ?"
said the village idiot. "Well, twenty-four won, anyway."
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98. Fire
Extinguisher
Salesman : "Madam, this
fire extinguisher is guaranteed to give you service for fifty years."
Ederly Lady : "But I shan't
be here all that time."
Salesman (misunderstanding her
meaning) : "Oh, but you can take it with you when you go !"
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99. I'm All Three
Caller : "Is the boss in
?"
New Office Boy : "Are you a
salesman, a bill collector or a friend of his ?"
Caller : "I'm all
three."
Office Boy : "The boss is
in conference. He is out of town. Step in and see him."
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100. A Clever Lawyer
Here is a story about a young
lawyer in his early days at the Bar when he represented a railway company, one of whose
vehicles had run down a boy. The boy's case was that his arm was so badly injured that he
could no longer lift it above his head. The clever young lawyer's cross-examination of the
boy was carried out very, very quietly - and very, very effectively :
"Now, my boy," he
said, "your arm was hurt in the accident ?"
"Yes, sir," said the
boy.
"And you can't lift your
arm high now ?"
"No, sir."
"Would you mind," said
the lawyer very gently, "just showing the jury once more how high you can raise your
arm since the accident ?"
The boy lifted with apparent
effort just to the shoulder level.
"And how high could you
lift it before the accident ?" asked the lawyer in his most innocent manner, and up
went the arm straight over the boy's head.
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101. Full of Bullets
The old soldier was telling of
his thrilling adventures on the field of battle. "Then," he said, "the
surgeons took me up and laid me in the ammunition wagon, and -"
"Look here," said one
of his listeners, "you don't mean the ammunition wagon! You mean the ambulance."
"No," he insisted,
"I was so full of bullets that they decided I ought to go in the ammunition
wagon."
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102. An
Unhappy Medium
Householder : "You're a
big, healthy man; why don't you go to work ?"
Tramp : "Madam, I'll tell
you my trouble. I'm an unhappy medium."
Householder : "Whatever do
you mean by that ?"
Tramp : "I'm too light for
heavy work."
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103. I'm
Not Superstitious
Personnel Manager : "Have
you had any business experience ?"
Applicant : "No, I've just
finished school"
Personnel Manager : "What
kind of job are you looking for ?"
Applicant : "I'd like to be
some sort of an executive Maybe a vice-president"
Personnel Manager : "But we
already had twelve vice-presidents"
Applicant : "that's all
right. I'm not superstitious".
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104.
Mending the Doorbell
A young man dashed into the
electrician's shop, his face flushed with anger. "Didn't I ask you yesterday morning
to send a man to mend my doorbell ?" he roared, "and didn't you promise to send
him around at once ?"
"But we did, sir",
broke in the manager. "I'm quite sure of it! Hi, Bill!" he called to one of his
workmen at the back of the office. "Didn't you go round to Park Lodge yesterday to do
that jod ?
"Yes, sir", replied
Bill. "I went round all right, and I rang the bell for over ten minutes, but I could
get no answer, so I guessed they must all be out".
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105. An
Older Boy Wanted
"Why, look here," said
the businessman who was in need of a boy, "aren't you the same boy who was in here a
week ago ?"
"Yes, sir," said the
applicant.
"I thought so. And I didn't
tell you then that I wanted an older boy ?"
"Yes, sir. That's why I'm,
back. I'm older now".
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106. A Quiet Weekend
The farmer came back to the
farm, after a weekend in the city. The hired man met him at the station in the Ford.
"How's everything ?"
"Oh, so-so"
"Anything happened ?"
"Nothing to speak of. The
dog limps a little"
"That so? How'd that happen
?"
"The horse was kind of
crazy, running out of the stable, half singed, and kicked it"
"Half singed ?"
"Yeah. When the barn burnt
down, and all the hay and stock got burnt, except for the horse - and I had to shoot him
later, he was so singed"
"How'd the barn catch
?"
"A few sparks from the
house, I reckon. That was what woke me - one of your daughters screaming on the second
story that the house was afire"
"Hum! House went too! Save
anything ?"
"Oh yes. When I woke, the
whole kitchen end was blazing, but I still could unlock the front stairway, and got the
folks out. But I remembered your barrel applejack in the shed behind the kitchen, and I
knew you didn't want anything to happen to that. When I got them out, it was too late to
save the two girls, or the bay, or even your wife. I suppose your maw and paw got crisped
right off. But I saved the applejack".
"Well, that something. Anything else happened ?"
"That was all. It
was a pretty quiet weekend"
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107. A
Man with Imagination
Banker : "What do you mean
by telling me that you had seven years' experience in a bank when you never had a job
before ?"
Youth : "Well, you
advertised for a man with imagination".
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108. Talking
to Heaven
A small boy had watched a
telephone repairman climb a pole, connect the test set and try the connection with the
test board. There was some trouble obtaining the connection. The youngster listened a few
minutes and rushed into the house exclaiming. "Mama, come out here quick. There is a
man up a telephone pole talking to heaven".
"What makes you think he is
talking to heaven?"
"Cause he hollered Hello!
Hello! Hello! Good Lord, what's the matter up there, can't anyone hear?"
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109.
When Did You Hire That Boy ?
The head of the store was
passing through the packing room and saw a boy lounging against a box whistling
cheerfully.
"How much do you get a
week?" he asked.
"Ten dollar, sir?"
"Here's a week's pay - get
out"
When he next saw the foreman, he
asked, "When did you hire that boy?"
"We never hire him ; he
just brought in a package from another firm".
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110. Boasting
Two veterans were boasting about
their outfits.
"Why, our company was so
swell drilled," sad one, "that when we presented arms all you could hear was
slap, slap, click"
"Pretty fair" said the
other. "But when our company presented arms you could here slap, slap, jingle"
"Jingle ?" said the
other. What did that ?"
"Oh, just our medals".
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111. Seeking Admission at the Pearly Gates
A broker sought admission at the
Pearly Gates.
"Who are you ?" said
St. Peter.
"I'm a Wall Street broker
?"
"What do you want ?"
"I want to get in."
"What have you done that
entitles to admission ?"
"Well, I saw a decrepit
woman on Broadway the other day and gave her two cents."
"Gabriel, is that on the
records ?"
"Yes, St. Peter : it's
marked down to his credit"
"What else have you done
?"
"Well, I crossed the
Brooklyn Bridge the other night and met a newsboy half frozen to death and gave him one
cent."
"Gabriel, is that on the
records ?"
"Yes, St. Peter"
"What else have you done
?"
"Well, I can't recollect
anything else just now ?"
"Gabriel, what do you think
we ought to do with this fellow ?"
"Oh, give him back his
three cents and tell him to go to hell".
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112. Catching
Kitchen
A lieutenant's suspicions were
aroused by a private whom he saw nearing eagerly under the fence of a house near the army
camp.
"What are you doing here
?" he demanded, in his gruffest tones.
"Why, sir, "said the
soldier, saluting, "I'm only trying to catch a chicken which I've just bought"
The lieutenant stooped and
caught sight of a pair of fine fowl.
"There are two chickens
under there, "he exclaimed excitedly, "I bought the other one. Catch them
both."
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113.
This Is Not Merely Eye Trouble
Even the best of specialists
often fall down in their diagnoses.
"Ah", said the doctor,
looking into one eye, "it is easy for me to see what is the matter with you ! This is
not merely eye trouble ; it is an affection of the nervous system. There are all the signs
of liver trouble, of the degeneration of the heart, of a bad blood supply. The only thing
I can recommend is"
"Here, here !" cried
the patient. "Isn't it the other eye ? That's my glass one, you
know."
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114.
The Laziest Man on the Farm
A farmer had 10 employees on his
farm, and as none of them as energetic as the farmer thought he should be, he hit upon a
plan which he believe would cure them of their lazy habits.
"Men," he said one
morning, "I have a nice, easy job for the laziest man on the farm. Will the laziest
man step forward ?"
Instantly 9 of the men stepped
forward.
"Why don't you step to the
front with the rest ?" inquired the farmer of the remaining one.
"Too much trouble,"
came the reply.
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115.
The Laziest Man in the Village
Seth Smith was reckoned the
laziest man in the village. So tied had the authorities become of contributing to his
support that they decided to confine him to a living tomb. Accordingly he was prepared for
burial. The hearse was an old ramshackle country wagon.
As the strange cortege moved
along, some old resident asked, "Who is it ?"
"Why, Seth Smith, who is
too lazy to get anything to live on, so we are going to bury him alive."
"I'll give him a bushel of
corn," said one.
"So will I," said
another.
Slowly raising his head, Seth
asked :
"Is the corn shelled,
neighbor ?"
"No, you have to sell it
yourself."
Gently replacing his head, he
said : "Drive on, boys, drive on."
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