A New England statesman was referring to the dry humor of the late Senator
Hoar, when he was reminded of the following:
One day Hoar learned that a friend in Worcester who had been thought to
have appendicitis was in reality suffering from acute indigestion.
Whereupon the senator smiled genially. "Really," said he, "that's good
news. I rejoice for my friend that the trouble lies in the table of
contents rather than in the appendix."--_New York Tribune._