Perfume Concert For Deaf-Mutes A Rank Failure

Thanks to reader Steve Barton for this peculiar New York Times report from 1902. There's a glimpse of vaudeville here (rarely mentioned in any stories I've read from the TimesMachine) and I suppose this also touches upon the relatively recent social acceptance of tobacco smoking.

I've seen this writing style before, where a high-minded but rather silly public demonstration is reported due to its failure, accompanied by popular ridicule. Various wags are quoted, being very clever in their mocking and making fun of poor sports You suspect it is the reporter who is the primary wit.

This reminds me of the story about Suffragettes being bedeviled by small boys asking questions about baseball.

Perfume Concert

We are not amused

Occasionally the 1909 New York Times' front page would offer a humorous treat for its' readers. This now reads as a reporter's daydream, though I'm sure it was not a complete invention.

Suffragettes and Small Boys' Impertinent Questions

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