The Opelousas courier., 1896-05-02
OuTWlTTED.
Two Plotters Are Beaten at Their Own
Game.

Two Plotters Are Beaten at Their Own
Game. !.
A professor Of mathematics in n OF
our colleges, whose head was so full OF
sober mathematical problems that you
would never suppose him capable of .
| Joke, went one summer to the Adiron-
dack mountains for scientific purposes.
| He took with him, as a companion, i
younger brother. who had just gradt,-
ated, and an old hunter for a guide,
cook and pro,idcr-general.
Passing n day q clearing in which
some fine peas were growing. they pur-
chased a small quantity to give relish
to their dinner in the forest. Not long
after, fatigued by a hard forenoon's
work, they pitched their camp CHI the
borders of a lovely lake, and the pro-
fessor said:
Come, now, let's have those peas"
While hc was taking some observa-
tons down by the lake, the old hunter
and the Young graduate prepared tbs
dinner.
After awhile the professor noticed al
unusual chuckling between the student
and the backwoodsman.
Suspecting some trickery, he strolled
| quietly toward the fire, as if endeavor-
ing to get 4 new point of observation, to
watch narrowly their proceedings.
Surprising that the professor was deep
in equations and angles and mathe~
NAUTICAL lines, they relaxed their cau-
ton, and he observed that they were
making wooden spoons with their pen
knives to eat the peas with, and that
here was d conspiracy to rob him OF his
share.
Saying nothing, he walked back to the
lake shore, and, picking up n of those
large mussel shells which are found il,
all our fresh-water lakes and rivers and
will hold more than an ordinary spoon.
he fitted a split stick to it for a handle
and clapped them both in his pocket.
Then sauntering back, in order to pre-
vent them making very extensive prepa-
rations, he kept around until the dinner
was cooked.
His presence restricted very much
their operations. end they were able TO
finish but very shallow spoons, after ali.
The peas being at length done, they
were poured into the common dish, and,
10! it was soup.
To prevent the possibility of the pro-
f~essor's getting even a small portion,
they had cooked them so that the peas
were swimming in water.
Seated on the ground, they eacheor,-
menced stabbing with his penkfffe a,
the peas. After this ridiculous process
had been carried on awhile, to the III.
suppressed merriment Of the student
and hunter, the latter whipped out
their wooden spoons, and Furnishing
them over their heads with a loud
"Hurrah!" made a dive at the peas.
The professor looked at them n mo.
ment; tsessG.e coolly drawing forth his
huge m,lssel shell and stick, and fitting
them together, began to ladle up the
soup.
The hunter and graduate stopped at
this new development with their spoons
suspended half way to their mouths,
and gazcd, with blank c~ountenances,
at the quiet professor, who, without ut
tering a word or changing a feature,
diligently piled his she'll.
By his accurate and mathematical
mode of ladling, he wa enabled to talk,
up an enormous quantity at every dip,
and in a few moments every pea had
vanished.
The whole operation had been carried
on with the soEricty with which he
would have reduced an equation.
When the last pea disappeared, he
looked up as much as to say:
us there anything more to eat, gen.
tlemen?"
This was carrying out the joke SO
capitally that The two conspiratory
burst into laughter, and the old hunter,
as he licked his empty spoon, confessed
that for once he had been outwitted.-.
Golden Days.