Smyrna times., 1900-04-11

er pass in America and drew little
black devils while he was waiting to
find out.
Among the many pleasing and heter-
odoX friends who visited the HertZers
was newspaper man of a Whimsical
turn of mind. He had been the re-
cipient on certain occasion of a pack
Of playing cards in which each club,
spade, heart or diamond was repre-
sented by scarlet or black devils, and
the design upon the backs of the cards
was writhing, twisting inferno of the
same grotesque little creatures.
He looked at these long and appre-
ciatively. did the newspaper man, and
he was seized with an idea. This idea
was the outcome of his observations.
He had noticed that there was a look
of extreme WEAKNESS in the eyes of the
amiable Madam HertZer and that she
walked more slowly than she used, and
her selections at the piano, which had
once been noted for their length, were
now brief and lacking in spirit. In
short, the brave spirit of Madam Hert-
zer dropped under many burdens. So
the newspaper man entered upon the
making of a collection, assisted by the
energetic and talented children of the
baron. Little black devils were gath
cred from every part of the house,
heads were torn from letters that the
fascinating imps might be preserved,
leaves were rent from books, and even
a pocket handkerchief done in a pro-
cession of dancing lmps in indelible ink
was taken in charge.
The practical friend sent these to n
certain much illustrated comic weekly
and anxiously awaited the results. The
family was of the opinion that there
would be no results. The baron was in
a state of peaceful ignorance
But the results were almost dramat-
ic. The comic weekly was amused,
and it is not easy to amuse a comic
weekly. 1t wanted a series, indefinite
ly continued, of little black devils illus
trating current events.
The officious friend carried the good
news to Baron Won Hertzer.
"Sir," stormed the baron, "you have
exceeded your privileges. You have
made me ridiculous. l am no clown to
flip and kick while the people laugh.
Will you have the great goodness to re-
call these personal possessions of mine
from the stranger to whom you have
confided them?
The newspaper man was obdurate.
You will be distinguished in a few
minutes" he said. Pm going to SET
my alarm clock so | can wake up al
| the proper moment and see the fun
No, I'll not write for the imps. Pve
| already sold part of them. The check
will reach you in few days. Ard you
must be about those illustrations OF
| current happenings. When they want
a thing on paper, they want it. They
don't care to wait"
Gam to be at the beck and call OF
these men whom have never seen?"
at is not necessary to see them il
order to be at their beck and call"
The baron considered all Americans
| stupid, but he regarded this one as
particularly so. especially when he
| found that his family was leagued
with the perverse man to insist upon
the making of the little devils. Under
protest, and with frequent lamentings
that he would be made ridiculous, the
baron worked on. The first few days
were drudgery, but the second week
saw him tolerant, the third week found
him interested and at the end of g
month he was enthusiastic. The Joy
of wOrk-individual, creative work
was an emotion he had only just dis
covered. And when the monetary re
suits became appreciable he grew al
most purse proud. He began to gather
ideas about the propriety of womeI
working and finally he commanded hi.
wife to cease her money earning. Will
a great show of wifely submission
Madam Hertzer Obeyed. She rested a
last after the days heat and burden
and smiling German gentleman. lore
of his house and dictator over his do
miniOns. made adorable little blacl
devils in the solitude of his study.-Ex
change.