The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-01-14
SPEAKING THE
TRUTH FOR A DAY.
CHAPTER IT-coNTINuEp.

81 don't Know, responded MRS.
Mary, in dispair; "but, poor fellow
and after all, he ism right in his head!
he said he had the headache, and he
certainly acted very strange-which |
noticed he looked queer about the eyes
when he came downstairs" said the
poor old woman, drawing boldly up
on her immaginationfor the last-men-
toned symptom.
did you thought" inquired the old
man, turning around briskly.
Eyes | did, and l shouldn't wonder
if his poor head was agoing, dear boy!
And it is all along of his measuring
out endless yards OF ribbon and lace,
and talking endless rubbish to get them
off all day long; and porting over ever
lasting rows of figures in them ledger
books all night. There's just where it
is; and it'll be pretty set out If you
have gone and turned your luny
nephew out o'doors."
"Poohl nonsense! he was no more
luny than you or myself. 1t was his
natural depravity cropping out, that's
what it was, and I'll have nothing
more to do with him'' exclaimed old
John, relapsing into anger.
"Well, you'll see. He is luny. Ii
he hadn't O. been he'd never said
nothing to hurt our feelings. He never
did beforel:' sobbed the old woman.
"I'll disinherit him! and he shall
never darken my doors againI" per-
sisted the old man.
"And here endeth the first lesson!'
sighed poor Joseph to himself as he
took his detected way towards his
place of business. ''I have scarcely
begun to speak the truth for one hour
before l am turned out of doors and
disinherited-Ah! l beg your pardon,
Miss Robinson!"
In the absorption of his mind he
had run against a stout woman, who
came sailing along like frigate under
full canvas, with her expansive hoops,
crinoline, and fiounces filling up the
whole breadth of the pavement.
"He! he! hel whatever could you
have been thinking of, Mr.. Morriss?'
giggled the woman.
''Of my aunt and uncle, Miss Robin.
son." said Joseph, letting his eyes
rove abstractedly over her snowy
person.
''Your haunt and huncle! la, what q
dutiful nephew! But-he! he! he!-yoU
are looking at my bonnet now arn't
your"
eyes"
He! he! he! we'll, since you are SC
candid, how do you like it?'
very we'll in itself-not at oil or
you"
"Why SO, sir, pray?"
Because it doesn't suit you"
"And why not, should like tC
know? Now tell me candidly as know
you've got deal of TASTE"
Then, candidly, l think the bonnet
too light fof such heavy woman, toe
youngfor such an old woman, and toe
fine for any waiting-woman."
"Pray, how do you know anything
about my age, sir?" exclaimed the in
dignant Miss Robinson, reddening
violently.
"By three sure tokens: the stoutness
of your figure, the thinness OF your
HAIR, and the weakness OF your eyes
these symptoms, taken all together
are infallible signs of age"
"Mr. Morriss, you insult me, sir"
"Miss Robinson, did not wish to
do so; but you asked my opinion, and
gave it to you truthfully."
"You as much as said | was stout
hold waiting-woman, sir, overdress
ed"
"Something like it, admit"
"You are a hintolerable, himperent
hignorant fellow" exclaimed the irate
abigail, bouncing off:
"There, now," said Joseph to him
self, owe made another enemy by an
swering truthfully the questions that
are put to mean enemy OF Heller
Lyle's waiting-woman, to, whom
would not have offended for the world
For the world! hump! 1t is we'll die
not utter that aloud, forit was a tib. J
would offend her for the world, though
I wouldd't for mere trife. Oh this
habit of fbbing! When we don't
fib to others, we 6b to ourselves
though there's no need Of 1t. But con
found this telling Of the truth! 1t il
likely to get me into more scrape:
! than / shall ever get out Of. | wisf
people wouldn't make any inquire:
of me, or address any observations o
me for a whole week. We boys USED
to say, when we didn't want to tel
sach other anything unpleasant. AZ
me 40 questions, and I'll tell you nc
lies wish had the right to say tt
all inquiries, ASK me no questions
and I'll tell you no truths!' Confount
this truth-telling, / say again, though
/ need pot say it, as the whole placl
is likely to be CONFUSION worse con
founded before I've done telling tn!
truth"
The end OF this soliloqpy brought
Joseph Moriss to the fine plate-slas'
fronted tablishment of Messrs
Black, Brown, Green, and White
diapers, and outfitters.
Meanwhile Robinson, in q red rage
rushed up to and lntruded herself up
on every acquaintance she had anon!
the tradespeople in Little Britain
asking :.
"Hisn't there something" very hodt
about that impudent fellow, Morriss
hin at Blacks. l was hat the shol
this mornin to give an horder for Mis-
Lyta, anu fteto No'S NNi!iliS ilOuo
met i'm hin the street, where he be
haved most improperly
"La, Miss Robinson, and he such
understanding young man." saic
Lizzie Bell, the little milliner, wht
happened to be the first person ad
dressed.
| "Modesty or not, e hinsulted me
most grossly, and believe e wa
very mneh iataxicated." o.
LA! and he such @ gteady younI
man, and this SO early in the MORN
ing"
"Then e was hevidently out of hi
'ead!" exclaimed the abigail, reddenin
with anger.
Good gracious me, Miss Robinson
how did he insult you? whatever diC
he say or do?"
"Ileaves you to himagine, Miss Bell,
replied the abigail, with a flaming
face, founciug out of the shop, for sh
had no idea OF repeating Joseph
plain truths to her own disparagement
And the pretty little milliner stoo'
in perfect CONSERVATION at the i'm
piled fact that the handsome youn
L I L