Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 186, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1911 — PINAFORE WAS TOO POPULAR [ARTICLE]

PINAFORE WAS TOO POPULAR

Ones Everybody Sang or Played M or Made Continued Use of Its Catch Phrases. There was a time when the vogue of “Pinafore” was simply amazing. It was not copyrighted and after Its success In London It was pirated in the United States. This piracy was the Initial cause of Gilbert’s hatred of America and Americans. However, If America did not send him its dollars, it was quite ready to spread his fame, says the Bookman. Church choirs added “Pinafore" to their repertoires, and it is recorded that 100,000 barrel organs were constructed to play nothing else. Here Is an Ironical note from a newspaper of the time: “At present there are 42 companies playing ‘Pinafore.’ Companies formed after 6 p. m. yesterday are not included." Xx. ■ Its catch phrase, “What, never? Well, hardly ever!" was deadly. It la told, for instance, that one editor barred his staff from using it. "It occurred 20 times in as many articles yesterday. Never let me see it used again.” “What, never?" was the unanimous question. "Well, hardly ever," replied the wretched man. The readiness of W. S. Gilbert's wit is well illustrated by this story told of him. He and F. C. Burnand, the editor of Punch, were guests at the same dinner table where a wise host placed the rival humorists at opposite ends of the room in the hope of distributing equally the witty table talk. Continual shouts of laughter rose from Gilbert’s corner until Burnard, after ineffectual attempts to arouse a similar jocularity in his immediate circle and unable to conceal his chagrin, leaned forward and said in his most sarcastic manner: *T suppose Mr. Gilbert' is telling some of those funny stories which he occasionally sends to Punch but which don’t appear." To which Gilbert dryly replied: ‘1 donH know who sends the funny stories to Punch, but it’s very true they don’t appear.”