The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
THE "MAGERFUL' SCOFFER.
ux TRIrs TO LIVE Up TO IUNTIE's
FSTTMlTE OF HIM.

,,rs,ipe.s, .nd Yrpas out THAT Ho Had the
trait when re was y neg, but r1as lest n.
SWELL" said Cassandra. tho secret is out"
"what secret r. asked tho Scoffer.
why. the secret Of Auntie's mysterious Tx
ing for YOU" ,.
Mysterious r. repeated the Scofer. 80 It's
g mystery when any one likes me, 10 IT. I
Not exactly. But 1t 10 a mystery when any
ono is liked by Auntio."
"oh, that's 1t. We'll. what IL the secretf'
This said Cassnndra, pointing her finger at
the Scoffer. YOU'RE magcrfuli That's what
10 tho matter with you"
"Magerfuli' said tho Scoffer. Whats thatl
IL II n mental. moral or physical charactoristicf'
"All OF them" said Cnssandra, with q compre.
bensivo sweep OF hor arms.
"Doar mo. how intcrcstingi And can any one
tell that I nm-whatever you called %it-just by
looking at mef'
"S-no. At least, not everybody can"
"well. is IL q credit to me. or ought I to BIO
ashamed OF itf'
"Er-thut depends remarked Cassandra,
after some reflection. You know Auntie liked
you better because Of it"
"Yes, so you say. Butt haven't quito
enough confidence in Auntie's taste to mako me
feel my oats. MS perhaps / should. Do you like
nue. better because I nni-you know-what you
said I vast"
II haven't admitted that you are. I simply
paid that Auntie said you were magcrfuI."
"MaEerfuli That's 1t; magerful. couldn't
think what It was you said. Whit is mayer
fol- anyway
Haven't you read about Sentimental
Tommy T.
mot l."
"woll. you needn't say It in that way. He
was magerful. too. That seems to DO Scotch for
smasterful.'"
Tho Scofrer gave o long. low whistle.
81 beg your pardon!" no said Immediately,
and rclapsed into deep thought. Another low
whistle.
81 beg your pardon!' he said. and was on tho
point of relapsing again. when Cassandra began
90 laugh.
"For q masterful man." she said, You are
doing n good deal of begging"
"Yes, l suppose 3d." said the Scooter after q
pause. II wondor what I ought TO do in a cnse
like that. / reckon I ought to stamp upon the
floor. kick over n chair. and exclaim In thunder
tones, Pardon moi"
"Yos." said Cassandra. land then I would
have to go down on my knees. throw some OF
your cigarette ashes on my head. and say: Tho
King can do no wrong"
Exactly" said the Scofer. settling himself
with n lordly air. ~ say. l rather like this role.
WASH it great Of Auntie to find out my mayer
fulnessi 1 feel as il l ought to do something
nice for Auntie. What little act Of recognition
do you think would be appropriate, coming from
aman OF my magerful nature 2"
You might throw bouquets at her." sug-
rested Cassandra. "Auntie seems to regard
throwing as a very commanding act"
You mean" The Scoffer hesltated.
"Yes;t tho Thanksgiving plum pudding. When
you throw it out of tho window SO that I should
not have to sit up all night to cook it you seem
to have convinced Auntie Of your magcrful.
Aess."
The Scoffer gave n rather embarrassed laugh.
"'Therc is a Providence which shapes our
ends he quoted. who would have thought
chat such q fool trick he hesitatod; az such
o masterful trick, would have gained Auntie's
favor"
You'll have to live up to your record. now"
oaid Cassandra teasingly.
" course. of counsel" feverishly assented the
Bcoffer. surveying tho room. What do you
think / would better sacrifice tonight Just
s siSn %o e Q niins: fs san k 6Ssia fiFins t Thsn out h' 81
They both laughed. and. as Cassandra made
no remark. the Scoffer turned thoughtful again.
DO you think Auntie's rightf" he asked
You couldn't convince her that she isn't"
diplomatically. :,
"oR." remarked Cnssandra. with that ~irritat-
Ing, double back action slur which may mean
Thou you don't think I am-am magerfulf'
demanded the ScOttcr.
.n "Mo ;o yC S,n ald M. , S|, anything: .nygs / s.n Now. you
answer my questions!"
Cassandra made a saucy moue and scornfully
blew tho ashes from the tray.
IT'S ovidently time for me to throw somo-
"Iyo got TO do something to sustain my repu.
70 tSs aSpd the H %in sfiaSa cas sSin pll1lS looked S1a sts sttSse
but smiled, I'm went the window.
"Billy!' exclaimed Cassandra. "You-
The scoffer put down the window. but stayed
there. pillow In hand.
s ssiiq !, y f$|s" s''' What 's are you 'SS ' going 1 to "' Do
Cassantra regarded him with dumb amaze
nnent. The Scoffer replaced tho pillow on the
guess I'm magerful, all right" he said. 1T
takes q nagerful man to dare to mako 'em like
should never have dared to finish. But then,
~ had stopped to think, I shouldn't have
you wouldn't look ut me that way. Cassandra r.
entrentingly. -.
"Oh. as IL ! were eating live babies. You
don't seem to know a mne'rful man when You
Masing puns isn't-"
dignity. 81 wont have my Evidences Of Mas
terfulness classified. Puns and puddingBl Well,
I'm nothing 4 not alliterative. ] wonder whore
this trait will break out next. It's dreadful to
be so masterful that you can't be reprcssed even
by your own self. Don't you think I'm an OBJ.
3esto Sympathy. Cassandrar"
well, maybe that's one of the penalties of
my class, We dwell alone. All true greatness
Is lonely.'
Don't be foolish"
II won't" said the scofer with sudden seri.
stitutcs, q masterful man and whether you. that
Is. whether women; like them or not" G.,
mental Tonmy's mother, too-told Elspeth 70
beware of maRerful men,"
"Whyi Had they been throwing her pud
dinRs ont of the window T.
NO." laughed Cassnndra. 81 guess IL wal
worse than that. She had married what shc
called n magerful man. and. instead OF throw
her"
oh. I'm not 80 mnRerful as that" protested
tho Scoffer. That man didn't know where Il
stop, Bnt-;tell me! Is throwing things the oni,
manifestation OF this traiti It's tho only tangl
bio evidence you have mentioned. Is q baseball
pitcher the supremely masterfnl man ."
You promised TO BIO serious" said Cassandra
NA1,d am Nauhn lnn'f Iannna 80 49, -