The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26
IN LESS SERIOUS MOOD.

what world Of discomfort this is, as q rule,
ana what FOOLS of philosoph ers most OF us are
with tongue remedies for everything and no
remedy considered seriously enough for q
trlal! The more you have, the more you
Wantl The more you know, the more you
reahze how much there is to learn. And a
ieW OF US, un satisfied with what ought to be q
Aoerai fortune in the treasure OF the world,
while provided, too, with what may be ter med
liberal education, are discovered envying the
spirit OF contentment in human beings who
i've on plttance day; who knowing little,
care TO know no more, and who are trou bled
never whit by social problems, the evolution
theory or the immortality of the soul.
Caught in heavy down pour, the other day,
ana IN the hope that the clouds would soon
cease weeping so copious1y, sought shelter
underneath sheet of canvas that served, for
the most part. as rair-or-sh shine protection for
adescendant OF the Caesars and stock OF pea
nuts.
All, sir" l ventured, after squandering
nlcKel Tor q bag OF peanuts to get into the tel
lows good graces; business must be dull IN
this miserable weather"
"No maka mon noW,' was the reply;
"plenta sun, plenta sale. Mayba he's gooda
nexa day."
On the stand lay some fifteen or twenty bags
OF peanuts; and strip OF cardboard, tackled to
SUCK, and having the appearance OF q
miniature banner behind the peanut ranks
bore the legend, "5 cents" The peanut-mer-
chant lit and smoked very bad cigar with
evident pleasure. "This man is taking things
easy" thought 1. "Can this little peanut busi-
ness be your only source of profit?" inquired,
and received an affirmative reply.
This fellow. opined, had neither desire nor
ambition Tor more than daily sustenance and
cheap apparel. l remarked in q jocular way,
that he was lucky in not having family on
his hands
mo gotta fam ?" he laughed. swat you
t1nk-dees man he's gotta ten chile! Uh-huh
Me-ten chile! He's keep him all by Tally
grips heel"
Then your sales must be very heavy on
sunny days. l said
'Somtam feefta cent-somtam dolP-onetam
tree dol'-somta tam fiva cent?
"And do you actually pay house rent and
support family of ten children on the profits
OF this stand?" 1 asked rather incredulously.
mo paya renta. Fiva year maka mon me I!
Lasta year buya da house in Tallygrips heel.
Da lam he's no costa much-leeve plen ia
good 1 maka one doll' ever day-t'ree hum
do1P year. sava one hum. Feefta cent ever
day keepa da fam, paya da peanuts. Mora
mon gotta giva da gooda time-pickanicka.
l no maka da kick. Some poora mems maka
me feela sorra."
The rain had ceased purchased another
nickels worth of peanuts out of pure liberal
heartedness, and. bidding farewell to the man
on the throne under the canvas sheet, hur-
ried away into the city.
As sped along l thought to myself, "Verily,
we who are supposed to take the lead in the
affairs OF the up-to-date world have many
lessons to learn in the book of economy.
Here am /, salaried at hundred week, with
wife, and never child, to support, paying
exorbitant houserent, always too poor to think
of investing in land, improved or unimproved,
generally up to my ears in debt and con-
tinuously grumbling because my salary isn't
double what it is-here am railing st con-
ditions that keep deserving man eternally
in the background, and there is that happy
Italian who has purchased house and lot and
supports family of twelve on the re-
ceipts OF a peanut business that yields him a
paltry 5000 year! Shucksl If that italian
had been in my shoes, as far as earnings go,
these twenty years, men would take off their
hats to him and the City Hall would be
peopIed by his relations. o, peanut mer-
chant you are an economist of the practical
school We, who are so prolific of theories,
may well profit by your example. But here is
q cigars tand.
.'Yes-three for dollar pleasen