The good Samaritan groped his way downstairs again. As he was pa.s.sing through the vestibule he was able to make out the dim outlines of another man, apparently in worse condition than the first one.
"What"s the matter?" he asked. "Are you drunk, too?"
"Yep," was the feeble reply.
"Do you live in this house, too?"
"Yep."
"Shall I help you upstairs?"
"Yep."
The good Samaritan pushed, pulled, and carried him to the second floor, where this man also said he lived. He opened the same door and pushed him in.
As he reached the front door he discerned the shadow of a third man, evidently worse off than either of the other two. He was about to approach him when the object of his solicitude lurched out into the street and threw himself into the arms of a pa.s.sing policeman.
"For Heaven"s sake, off"cer," he gasped, "protect me from that man. He"s done nothin" all night long but carry me upstairs "n throw me down th"
elevator shaf."
There was a young man from the city, Who met what he thought was a kitty; He gave it a pat, And said, "Nice little cat!"
And they buried his clothes out of pity.
BOASTING
Maybe the man who boasts that he doesn"t owe a dollar in the world couldn"t if he tried.
"What sort of chap is he?"
"Well, after a beggar has touched him for a dime he"ll tell you he "gave a little dinner to an acquaintance of his.""--_R.R.
Kirk_.
WILLIE--"All the stores closed on the day my uncle died."
TOMMY--"That"s nothing. All the banks closed for three weeks the day after my pa left town."--_Puck_.
Two men were boasting about their rich kin. Said one:
"My father has a big farm in Connecticut. It is so big that when he goes to the barn on Monday morning to milk the cows he kisses us all good-by, and he doesn"t get back till the following Sat.u.r.day."
"Why does it take him so long?" the other man asked.
"Because the barn is so far away from the house."
"Well, that may be a pretty big farm, but compared to my father"s farm in Pennsylvania your father"s farm ain"t no bigger than a city lot!"
"Why, how big is your father"s farm?"
"Well, it"s so big that my father sends young married couples out to the barn to milk the cows, and the milk is brought back by their grandchildren."
BONANZAS
A certain Congressman had disastrous experience in goldmine speculations. One day a number of colleagues were discussing the subject of his speculation, when one of them said to this Western member:
"Old chap, as an expert, give us a definition of the term, "bonanza.""
"A "bonanza,"" replied the Western man with emphasis, "is a hole in the ground owned by a champion liar!"
BOOKKEEPING
Tommy, fourteen years old, arrived home for the holidays, and at his father"s request produced his account book, duly kept at school. Among the items "S. P. G." figured largely and frequently. "Darling boy," fondly exclaimed his doting mamma: "see how good he is--always giving to the missionaries." But Tommy"s sister knew him better than even his mother did, and took the first opportunity of privately inquiring what those mystic letters stood for. Nor was she surprised ultimately to find that they represented, not the venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, but "Sundries, Probably Grub."
BOOKS AND READING
LADY PRESIDENT--"What book has helped you most?"
NEW MEMBER--"My husband"s check-book."--_Martha Young_.
"You may send me up the complete works of Shakespeare, Goethe and Emerson--also something to read."
There are three cla.s.ses of bookbuyers: Collectors, women and readers.
The owner of a large library solemnly warned a friend against the practice of lending books. To punctuate his advice he showed his friend the well-stocked shelves. "There!" said he.
"Every one of those books was lent me."