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Show When Aldrich Laughed. "Did you ever laugh at a funeral?" said Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island. "I did once. It was the funeral of an old-time acquaintance, and the minister min-ister who made the opening address was absent-minded. He got up in the pulpit, began to speak, and then hesitated. He had forgotten the sex of the corpse. " 'Our deceased, our deceased brother or sister ' he said, and then went on and spoke , with great feeling about the virtues of the deceased, calling call-ing it always 'brother or sister." Finally, Fin-ally, pausing a moment, I heard him say Jo the aged deacon who sat in a loud whisper: " 'The corpse, which is it, a brother or a sister?' "The deacon was very old and slow of wit. He answered in a whisper: " 'Neither. Only an acquaintance.' "Here," Senator Aldrich ended, "I laughed. |