EDWARD J. CLODE _Printed in the United States of America_ JOKES FOR ALL OCCASIONSPREFACEThe ways of telling a story are as many as the tellers themselves. It isimpossible to lay down precise rules by which any one may perfecthimself in the art, but it is possible to offer suggestions by which toguide practise in narration toward a gratifying success.Broadly distinguished, there are two methods of telling a story. Oneuses the extreme of brevity, and makes its chief reliance on the point.The other devotes itself in great part to preliminary elaboration in thenarrative, making this as amusing as possible, so that the point itself serves to cap a climax. In the public telling of an anecdote the tyrowould be well advised to follow the first method. That is, he should puthis reliance on the point of the story, and on this alone. He shouldscrupulously limit himself to such statements as are absolutelyessential to clear understanding of the point. He should make a carefulexamination of the story with two objects in mind: the first, todetermine just what is required in the way of explanation; the second,an exact understanding of the point itself. Then, when it comes to therelating of the story, he must simply give the information required bythe hearers in order to appreciate the point. As to the point itself, hemust guard against any carelessness. Omission of an essential detail isfatal. It may be well for him, at the outset, to memorize the conclusionof the story. No matter how falteringly the story is told, it willsucceed if the point itself be made clear, and this is insured for eventhe most embarrassed speaker by memorizing it.The art of making the whole narration entertaining and amusing is to be
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