The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-11-17
The Fool.
BY GARRARp ri

: BY GARRARD HARRIS.
copyrighted, 1900. Daily Story Pub. Coz
Once there was "a. fool. There was
nothing in particular to commend him.,
except that he was ~unassuming. He
accepted his lot with something .hke
philosophy, for he knew he was moth
Ing but a fool. People said so, and
with him that settled 1t.
He was unfortunate in that he al
ways did the wrong thing at the
wrong time. People blamed him q
emphasized the fact that he was a
fool, with sundry expressive adjecttves.
He was not admired in society pc
cause he did not talk when he had
nothing to say. It occurred to him,
finally, that ii some one would get a
dozen or so monographs put them In
the same room, and start Them all
talking at. once on different topics 1t
would be society-for the talk would
be there. But, you see, that was only
q FOOLS idea.
Moreover, he did. not bother himself
about cultivating those fates and
'graces who spun the threads OF social
destiny, the warp and woof whereof
which is either success or failure. The
latter portion Of the fabric fell to his
lot-but he did. not care. Consuming
salads and standing about in evening
dress listening to dissertations upon
tho private affairs Of ether people did
not seem the apex Of earthly glory
and the chief end of man, to gay moth
ing of seeing his name in the society
columns Of the newspapers. All OF
which was evidence that> what every
body said about him was So.
And. then, in a business way, he
wasn't much Of a figure. for when
ever his employer tried to bully him,
he would not stcnd 1t. He demanded
the same consideration exacted OF
himself. He. lost two o. three stu
ations, whereas, if he had not been a
fool, he would have kow-towed and
cringed when his boss came around,
and would have laughed Historically at
that august PERSONS would-be With
c:sms. Then, maybe, his feelings
would not have been hurt SO; many
times and his salary might have been
raised a few dollars a month. Instead
OF thinking how he could show the
''bcss" what q really nice, humble,
servile fellow he was. tho fool general
W we.t on working and paid not the
slightest attention to h!sa, for, being
nothing but a fool. he vas always
thinking Of a woman. He had gotten
in the habit of thinking about her o
few years since, and, unfortunately for
him, he could not break himself Of It.
She encouraged him at first. His
great numbering self; his habit Of look
ing at people straight out Of his clear
blue eyes, and his honest admiration
these took her fancy greatly. His
reverent alteration was entirely new
to her after being thrown constantly
with young men who smoked. ciga-;
rettes,and parted their hair In the mid
die and tried to be swell chaps IN ten
dollars a week. He made q desperate
effort to tolerate society for her sake
and In. order that he might be near her
.oftener. But his second campaignwas
more disastrous than ms first. sThes
young men who chewed gum and were.
very! particular about their trousers
being properly creased revlled him.
and the girls made game OF him to
his facc. That made him more un-
comfortable than ever. and he. being q
e~m15S ~ ,rrvl $s{k+ ~ srS,k - ~ III - OnE