The Globe-republican., 1900-11-15
1h3 Fool.
BY GARRARD HARRIS.


Copyrighted 1900. Daily Story Pub COD
Once there was a fool There was
nothing In particular to commend him.
except that he was unassuming- He
accepted his lot with something like
philosophy, for he knew he was moth
ing but a fool People said so. and
with him that settled it,
He was unfortunate in that he al
ways did the wrong thing at the
wrong time People blamed him and
emphasized the fact that he was
fool, with sundry expressive adjectiveS-
He was not admired in society be-
cause he did not talk when he had
nothing to say. It occurred to him,
nna1Iy. that ii some one would get
dozen or SO monographs put them in
the same room. and start them all
talking at once different topics it
would be society-for the talk would
be there But, you see. that was only
81 FOOLS idea.
Moreover, he did not bother himself
about cultIyating those fates and
graeeS who spun the threads OF social
destiny, the warp and wool whereof
which Is either success or failure The
latter portion OF the fabric fell to his
1ot-bnt he did not care Consuming
salads and standing about in evening
dress listening to dissertations upon
The private affairs of other people did
not seem the apex OF earthly glory
ana the GHAG1 emu VI 1nd1s 10 say HULL
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 8 figure for when
ever his employer tried to bully him,
he would not stand it He demanded
the same consideration exacted OF
himself. He lost two or three stu
nttSns, whereas, If he had not been a
fool, he would have kOw-tOwed and
scrinEed when his boss came around,
and would have laughed Historically at
that august PERSONS would-be witt
casms. Then. maybe, his feelings
would not have been hurt SO many
times and his salary might have been
raised few dollars a month. Instead
of thinking how he could show the
boss what a really nice, humble,
,SerytRe fellow he was, the fool general
~ went on working and paid not the
slightest attention to him, for. being
nothing bat fool, he was always
thinking of q woman He had gotten
an tbs habit of thinking about her a
Sew years since, and, unfortunately for
him, he could not break himself of 1t
She encouraged him at first. His
great numbering self; his habit OF look
Ang at people straight out of his clear
blue eyes, and his honest admiration
these took her fancy greatly. His
TSyGTSnS S0OEaC1On was enL1re1y new
60 her after being thrown constantly
with young men who smoked ciga-
xettes and parted their hair in the mid
die and tried to be swell chaps on ten
Dollars week He made a desperate
SHORT to tolerate society for her sake
and IN order that he might be near her
ofteneT- But his second campaign was
more disastrous than first The
Soung men who chewed gum and were
very particular about their trousers
being properly creased reviled him.
and the girls made game OF him to
'&5s face That made him more an
comfortable than ever. and he being a
fool, thought it might embarrass her
90 have cavalier who served a butt
60 her friends. So he gave 1t up again
But he persisted in going to see her.
and on those occasions she would drop
all her outside airs and graces. and
they would be very happy together
.She promised to marry him after a
.w2ile-s0metime- So, he went on.
and 1avtshed the incense of his soul
upon her He was saving his money.
800, Tor they had decided upon the
sort OF house they wanted for their
home the way they were going to have
II fnra4shed. and the flowers that
should bloom on the galleries and in
the Ht1le yard She was almost en-
aiTefy satisfied at the prospect. and ne