Edison’s Sense of Humor

THE IMPROVEMENT ERA Vol. 33-41 E^E June, 1930 No. 8 Edison's Sense of Humor T HOMAS A. ED- ISON, one of the greatest geniuses the world has known, defines genius as 99% perspiration and 1 % inspiration. One of his good natured mottoes is: "All things come to him who hustles while he waits." He believes in and has practised both of these suggestions eighteen hours a day for more working days than almost any other man living. His unremit ting toil, to use the words of Presi- dent Hoover, "has taken rivers of sweat from the backs of men and freed the hands of women from untold drudgery." His industry is an example to all ambitious young men. On the evening of October 21st a great international celebration was held in his honor, commemo- rating the fiftieth anniversary of the completion of the incandescent lamp. This was an event of his- toric importance and many mag- azines and daily newspapers carried sketches of the great inventor's life and commented on his marvelous achievements. L „N an article in the American Magazine of January, 1929, contributed by Irving Bacheller, is related, in Edison's own words, one of his early ex- periences which indicates his alert- ness of mind and his fine sense of humor. He was a news agent on the train that ran between Sag- inaw and Detroit. The story of his last trip is full of significance and abounds in the rarest humor. Significant, because it helped him to find himself, and to get into the path that led him to fame. Pass- ing through the smoker, his arms full of newspapers, he was stopped by a Southerner dressed like a sport and with a negro valet. By BRYANT S. HINCKLEY 'Boy, what ye got there?' he asked. 'Newspapers,' I answered. 'How many?' 'Thirty-four.' 'Chuck 'em out o' the win- dow,' he commanded. "I hesitated. "Chuck 'em out o' the win- dow,' he repeated. 'I'm able to pay for 'em.' 'Taking him at his word, I flung them through an open win- dow. "He lazily turned to the negro at his side, as if the vulgar details of business were beneath him, say- ing in a lordly tone: 'Nicodemus, settle with the boy.' "The colored man paid me. I returned to my trunk. I had never sold my papers with so little effort. I thought that I would try him again. I returned to the smoking car with a load of magazines that staggered me. I left none behind. "My customer saw me coming. 'Hello, boy, what ye got there?' he demanded. 'Magazines.' 'How many?' "I told him. 'Chuck 'em out o' the win- dow.' My stock was moving fast. I think that half a mile of the right of way was paved with literature. 'Nicodemus, settle with the boy,' my whimsical Southern friend commanded, as I returned empty-handed to his seat. "I understood the situation. My customer like many men of that time, on pleasure bent, was playing the part of a lavish Roman emperor. His little hobby was the creation of astonishment. I de- cided that if I had been chosen by fate to assist him to ride his hobby, far be it from me to lag behind. "I hurried back to my trunk. It was half full of novels. Some of them showed signs of wear. The brakeman helped me stack them in my arms. It was almost a wagonload. I was in the midst of an adventure as thrilling as any in the books I carried. I toiled into the smoking car with my burden. "Again the familiar words: 'Hello, boy, what ye got there?' 'Novels,' I answered. " 'How many?' "I gave the number. "Again the welcome order: 'Chuck 'em out o' the window.' "Gladly I chucked 'em. For a minute the air was full of mystery and bloody murder. Every tramp on that railroad must have become a walking library, and I'm sure that the section boss acquired a surprising familiarity with literature. "Once more I heard the princely command: 'Nicodemus, settle with the boy.' "I returned to an empty trunk. I closed and locked it for the last time. What should I do with it? I decided to try my luck once more. I dragged the trunk through the aisle to the smoking car. Every- one laughed as I bumped it through the door. "Again the familiar greeting: 'Hello, boy, what ye got there?' "Trunk,' I answered. "He smiled as he asked: 'How many?' " 'One.' 'Chuck it off the train.' "I dragged it to the platform and tumbled it to the right of way, and Nicodemus settled with me. I was out of the news-agent bus- iness for good." Taken from "Making Friends with Luck" by Irving Bacheller, American Magazine, Jan., 1929.