Show elli john A joice author of A checkered life and other things explains how be came to write ella wheeler wilcous Wil coxs poem augh and the world laughs with you he says thia poem I 1 wrote for the late george D prentic poet and journalist of louisville ky in january 1893 it was at the wine room of the old gait iu the presence of three other peo pie I 1 was then about 23 yeam of age and the circumstance of our waning feasting aad laughing brought the lines to luv in one of the odes of horace the roman poet whom I 1 lad read at college he speaks of laughing and people will join in but if you cry they will not be so ready to respond but will walk away this poem of nine has been claimed by three persons two men and one woman it ig also in my scrapbook scrap book signed by my numerous friends exchange and anonymous and it is the only one of twenty seven of my brain babias that haa been claimed by the thieves and of literature well I 1 forgive the poor creatures crea who are trying to make a few pennies out of mv national notoriety and content myself with the sweet thought that the world has the lines anyhow |