The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-02-16

asked Walker. "yow notice that In
company Howelby is well received and
treated with consideration. After he
goes away they poke unmerciful fun
at him. l wonder what they say about
me after | go away. | wonder if it's
possible that they speak of me as a
NOISY IDIOT or something like that?
i wonder II I've been "a bore for years
and didn't know it? How would |
know IL unless some one came right out
told me point blank? But you don't
find many people as candid as all that.
Ihere'd be no chance of my finding IL
out well-unlcss some one
wrote an anonymous letter or-sent a
comic valentine. Come TO think of it,
Mrs. Walker has reproved me several
times for breaking in while some one
else was talking. i wonder if She.
But no, il was some one who hates me.
I'll keep quiet and find out"
Walker met many acquaintances that
day, and every one of them was under
suspicion. Walker even made signif-
cant remarks, such rs "Well, suppose
I'm noisy chump," or II dare say
talk too much" and then watched each
face to see if he could detect the guilty
flush, but he couldn't. However, he
was rather sadly impressed by the fact
that no one Of his friends contradicted
him when he said these disparaging
things about himself. 1t was evident
that whoever sent the valentine had
II 81
tification. If Walker had stopped to
consider he would have known that it
is never considered polite to contradict
a man when he is saying mean things
about himself. But he was not in "A
mood for fair consideration of any
thing. He had discovered his true char
actor, and he held himself in contempt.
Fortunately he had his pride and self
respect remaining, and he decided upon
reform.
For two days he didn't speak except
when he was compelled 10 do so, and
then he talked in monosyllables. Mrs.
Walker was frightened and began to
fear that he was going into a decline.
On the morning of the 10th. as he was
waiting at the corner for a trolley car,
! barber with black ringlets came out
Of the shop next to the drug store and
said: How are you, Mr.. Walker-how
do you do. sir? Say, l got something
here that belongs 10 you. / guess II
was sent to me by mistake, or at least
| | judge so as far as can make ont, be-
cause your names here. but il came
addressed to me all right. | put it in
my pocket and / says 10 myself: Now
the first time ] see Mr.. Walker passin'
by the shop here I'll give this to him.
and probably he'll know what il means /;
but was sure il wasn't for me, because
/ haven't bought any meat from Krasch
since l had little trouble with him
about a round steak that my little girl
went there and got one morning. ]
told Krasch in so many words that I'd
never deal with him again in no way,
shape. manner or form. because al
low no man TO send me such meat.
Ny moneys as good as any other mans
money, and"
! Walker might have heard great deal
more IL the car had not come along.
In the envelope which had been hand.
ed to him by the barber he found an
itemized bill from Krasch, the butcher
How did this bill happen TO reach the
barber? Evidently il got into the
wrong envelope. Then what? He saw
IL all in fash. That valentine was in
tended for the talky barber who had
| quarreled with Krasch.
| II don't talk too much, after ALL"
thought Walker. with a feeling Of in
finite relief. "Pshaw! knew it all the
time."-Chicago Daily Record.