Every month I write a local heritage-themed column, on behalf of The Treasury, for the
Grahamstown Gazette. Here's my piece for the December edition.
From The Treasury:
First,
New Woman: "Come, Julie, let's go and have a friendship lunch
together."
Second
Ditto : '"Friendship lunch! What's that?"
First:
"Why, you pay for mine and I'll pay for yours." (Thames Star, 26
November 1915)
Unlike
today's local newspapers, the Thames Star at the turn of last century would
often print funny little asides or short stories, like the one above, whenever
it had more column space to fill than news or ads to fill it. Much like a
modern internet meme, these jokes would circulate both nationally and
internationally through the local newspapers, perhaps picking up a local twist
for wherever they were published. Local newspapers would also regularly publish
pieces of short fiction, or longer serialised works. Occasionally, you might
also find a particularly good recipe or even an obituary doing the rounds.
Without modern copyright laws, these texts were happily pirated by news editors
and circulated freely throughout hundreds of newspapers, without much thought
for their origins.
Here's
a selection of short pieces and one-liners which graced the columns of the
Thames Star:
Another
Broken Friendship:
Miss
Effie Aucee (just engaged) — ' What do you think Edwin said last night! That if
he had to choose either me or a million pounds, he wouldn't even look at the
million!
Miss
May Tour (still waiting) —'Dear, loyal fellow! I suppose he didn't like to risk
the temptation.' (26 May 1890)
An
exchange says, "Matrimony is a noble institution. Not only does it unite
man to his best friend, but it finds a good living for thousands of
divorce lawyers." (8 June 1880)
What's,
in a Name ?—one of the most guileless ministers in Scotland, an
intimate friend of Dr. Guthrie's, was named Blackadder. (8 October
1874)
A
fond mother in Valparaiso, on hearing that an earthquake was coming, sent her
boys to a friend's in the country to escape it. After a few days she
received a note from the friend, saying "Take your boys away and send
along the earthquake instead." (4 November 1880)
Scribbler—
I have just lots of fun writing my jokes.' Friend— 'Then that
explains it. I wondered where the fun came in.' (25 May 1891)
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