Oh what pun! — April showers
April showers bring out corny puns from historic newspaper editors, such as this groaner published Aug. 6, 1877 in The Granville Sentinel.
“‘Allow me to be your beau,’ said a gentleman, in placing his umbrella over a lady in a shower. ‘Thank you, I’ve plenty of fair-weather beaux, so I suppose I should call you my rain beau.’”
If at first you don’t succeed at getting a chuckle, try, try again.
From the same issue: “We thought spring would find it hard work to get through this weather safely. A large placard in a clothing store announces, ‘Spring pants.’ Something ought to be done to relieve her.”
Even history was not spared the pun-ishment of Sentinel editor J. L. McArthur.
“A paragraph is going the rounds stating that the exact spot of Burgoyne’s surrender is not known. It is absolutely certain, however, that when he did surrender he had the most woe Burgoyne look of any man who was present on that occasion.” — July 19, 1877
Commercial boats no longer travel on the Feeder Canal, between Sandy Hill, now Hudson Falls, and Glens Falls. But you can still paddle a kayak or canoe on the historic waterway, and walk or bike on the trail along its banks.
“A story is told and vouched of a Lake George landlord who attended a picnic with his guests and ate 11 or 13 pies provided for the occasion. Since then he is known as the ‘Glens Falls Feeder.’” — Aug. 30, 1877
Bald heads are always safe for humor.
“A difficult lock to pick — one from a bald head.” — July 26, 1877.
Bankers, too, are fair game.
“When the banks become unsteady, even the depositor is likely to lose his balance.” — May 9, 1879.
“‘Nature has gone into liquidation,’ is the way a flowery exchange tells its readers about the thaw and sloppy weather.” — The Morning Star of Glens Falls, Dec, 31, 1994.
The newspaper industry was not immune from editorial ridicule.
“It is said that the reason no newspaper men have been observed at the Boston Tabernacle is the knowledge that no well connected newspaper could be published without the assistance of the devil.” (Though some in modern society associate newspaper editors with evil, that was not the context in the 19th century, when a printing devil was an entry level employee, usually a young boy, working at or below the level of apprentice.) — The Granville Sentinel, April 6, 1877
And on May 11, 1877: “Why do not printers succeed to the same extent as brewers? — Because printers work for the head and brewers for the stomach; and where twenty men have stomachs, but one has brains.”
Editorial humor about bakers was a bit kinder in this set of puns published Dec. 6, 1884 in The Morning Star.
“She: ‘The baker has not come this morning.’ — He: “That is ill-bread of him.’ — She: ‘We have buckwheat cakes though.’ — He: ‘I am syrup-rised. That is batter than one might expect.’”
One last pun for this issue of “Oh what pun!”
“A lady and gentleman accidentally touched each others’ feet under the table. ‘Secret telegraphy,’ said he. ‘Communion of soles,’ said she.” — The Granville Sentinel, Dec. 14, 1883.
Watch — if you dare — in the coming weeks for plenty more where these ones came from.
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