The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-11-16
lh] Fool.
BY CARRARD 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 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 a
fool, with sundry expressive adjectives.
He was not admired in society be-
cause he did not talk when he had
nothing to say. 1t occurred to him,
finally. that liz 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 it
would be society-for the talk would
be there. But, you see, that was only
a fools idea.
Moreover, he did not bother himself
about cultivating those fates and
graces 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
,lot-but 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
and the chief end of man, to say 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 rot stand it. He demanded
the same consideration eXacted Of
himself. He lost two or three stu
atoms, whereas, if he had not been
fool, he would have kow-towed and
cringed when his boss came around,
and would have laughed Historically at
that august persons would-be witt
cisms. 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 really nice, humble,
servile fellow he was, the fool general
ly went on working and paid not the
slightest attention to him, for, being
nothing but fool, he was always
thinking of woman. He had gotten
in the habit of thinking about her a
few years since, and, unfortunately for
him, he could not break himself of ii.
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 on ten
dollars a week. He made desperate
effort to tolerate society for her sake
and in order that he might be near her
oftener. But his second campaign was
more disastrous than his first. The
Young men who chewed gum and were
very particular about their trousers
being properly creased reviled him.
and the girls made game of him to
his face. That made him more un-
comfortable than ever, and he, being a
fool, thought it might embarrass her
to have cavalier who served as butt
10 her friends. So he gave 1t up again.
But he persisted In going to see her,
and on those occasions she would drop
ALI her outside airs and graces, and
they would be very happy together.
She promised to marry him after
whIle-sometime. So. he went on,
and lavished the incense of his soul
upon her. He was saving his money,
too, for they had decided upon the
sort of q house they wanted for their
home, the way they were going to have
Il furnished. and the flowers that
should bloom on the galleries and in
the little yard. She was almost en-
tirely satisfied at the prospect. and he