The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-09-06
1HANIMATE THINGS.
some 0ne Has "a Theory That They
Have am Unpleasant Sense
of Hnmor.

We have all read and talked about
fhe total deprayity of inanimate things,
but the sense of humor in inanimate
things has not been written of as i
ought to be. There can be little doubt
that fnanimate things, especially If they
are small and elusive, possess strong
sense OF humor- For instance man
had in his desk one Of those curving
things with handle, in which sheets
Of blottiug paper are held 1t was coz
yen.ent, as long as II could be prevented
from getting showed under on his desk-
One day the man missed this pad when
he was writing, and wanted IT, He had
q cleared space occupying the center OF
his deek, and all around this space was
a litter Of papers, letters and things
Naturally he supposed that the pad had
got under these thingz- He searched
amongst the papers. but took care not
to get any Of them upon the cleared
space in the center. He searched over
the whole lot, and it occurred TO him
that this was good time TO put his
desk in order. He cleared up and sorted
out all the things. and put them in
{ pigeonhoies OK within bands, and made
{ his desk spicz ard span But no trace
Of the pad could be discovered He was
discouraged. and, as It was near lunch
( time, he locked up his desk and went
! cut to lunch When be came hack he
Opened the desk, and there exactly in
the middle of the desk, on the very spot
3 which his paper had occupied when he
I was writing. was that pad, simply gIar-
ing at him. 1t seemed 10 wear an ex-
preston thst was positively malicious
The man was forced TO conclude that
the pad had a strong senSe of humor.
with a tendency 10 practical joking, and
that il had concealed itself in some
corner Of the desk while he was search
ing. and while re was gone had whipped
itself out into the most conspicuous
snot on the desk, as way Of laughing
at him. OF course It wasn't possible
that he could have absent-mIndedly dis
lodged il while ne was looking over the
papers and gone eff and left 1t there
Lately the same man had a slender
little pencil, about two inches long il
was a very amiabie little pencil. of pleas
Z aOA 4AL11I1 a14 1-@~
a the man used TO hold it between hi.
forefnger and his middle finger and di
rect II with his thumb while he wa,
scrawIinz memoranda or doing othei
G things which required a pencil III
kept it in waEStcoat pocket One da.
: this pencil turned up missing. He want
> ed It, and wanted no other pencil III
e searched all his pockets several tine
5 over, and looked all over his desk ant
e shelxes, and even searched the floor
+ No trace Of it. He sat down TO writ
b with a long. uncongenial pencil l
I seemed to baIk and mock him, and
n said to himself. 20, Lord, wish tina
o little pencil would appear.~ and at tbs
o very moment it dropped upon his pape
!. as if from the sky, but really from owe
\ Lis right ear, where II had huuoFousl
= concealed itself. Though of course th
!. hunOr came in the temperance ratht
i than the disappearance. articles witt
out a grain of hunor in them may col
Il ceaI themselves behind ones ear, esp
~ ciaIIy If the ear offers ample opportul
= ity for such conceaIment: but 10 ii
d out just at the psychological moment
: that takes real humor-Bcst0n Ira
Sprint