OCR Text |
Show Chlneaa Wit. A traveler in the far east relates thp.t Chinese gentlemen of quality consider it btineath their dignity to invent their own jokes. When they go into mxnety each carries with him a collection of bon mots and smart repartees, obtained from various sources, and when he thinks the time has come for him to make a sage remark ha turns over the leaves of his commonplace book till he lighta on a suitable passage, which he gravely points out to his neighbor. The Ktter reads the passsage with equal gravity, whereupon he selects from his own stock an appropriate appro-priate rejoiader, which he shows the other with a bow. Both then Btnile sol-, sol-, emnly, and, after many compliments, resume re-sume their conversation. II Popolo Romano. |