The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-22
Downfall Of a Cheerful dot.


prizs boarder, but disguised, and he
thought ne had reason to be. The in
terest that Miss Elliott took in the prize
boarder annoyed Bromley exceedingly.
He declared repeat edly that If there
were any real reason for Miss Elliott
liking the prize bOarder he would not o.
ject. But the prize boarder was inane,
superficial, cheap. He borrowed every
idea that he employed to electrify his
audience.
The prize boarder's name was Herman
Shuffey. and he sat at the head Of the
table and had a Parthian shot for every
boarder as they entered the dininy-room
and another one when they went out.
During the meal he kept up a continual
fire OF jokes, witticisms, and mastery
comment; and all the other boarders had
! a chance 10 DO was to smile and ap-
plaud. Except Bromley.
! Bromley had been in Mr. Shufey's
room once and he had noticed then that
about the only books that bore the
marks OF frequent use were a copy OF
DR.. Holmes 'Autocrat of the Breakfast
Table" and Banks Coffee and Repair
tee" After he had sat at meat with
Mr.. Shuffey for several meals, Bromley
! decided that the prize b0arder had the
mistaken notion that both the nantes
of DR.. Holmes 'Autocrat" and Bangs
I Cheerful idiot" had fallen upon his
! young shoulders. AS far as Bromley was
+ concerned Shuffey could have worn the
mantles Of both these celebrated indi-
viduals and as many more as he had
wished to hang around himself, but it
did bother him to see how much interest
Miss Elliott took in the prize boarder.
Miss Elliott taught in the Garibaldi
! Grammar school, and Bromley could not
understand why a person of her intelli-
1 gence should pay so much attention to
! what he considered the windy aporings
/ of the prize boarder. One evening after
/ Shuffey had hurriedly left the dinner
table to attend some sort Of a fuuc-
( ton at the club which he had persuad-
4 ed everybody into believing was a much
more notable social event than the char
/ ity ball. Bromley had ventured to say
to Miss Elliott: "Well we can eat in
a little more peace now that the Cheer
full Idiot is gone"
why, Mr. Bromley" said Miss FL
! lott, how can you speak that way Of
Mr. Shuffey? He is not an idiot"
We'll. he's cheerful. isn't me-" de-
manded Bromley.
Yes, but because Ne is bright and does
his best to entertain everybody, you
needn't accuse him of being a Cheerful
IDIOT
20, he is bright. all right" said Brom-
ley. Hes little Bright Eyes, the
boarders' delight, but I wish for my
part that he would keep quiet at meal
time"
Miss Elliott looked reprovingly at
Bromley, and quietly arose and walked
in majestic silence out of the room.
The next night Shuffey scintillated and
shone as he never had before. He fair
ly surpassed himself
do you know" said Mr.. Shuffey, ''that
the Woman's club has done an awful
good thing IN coming to mans rescue
"Ah, conversation is wonderful
thing" went on Shuffey, "you know
those lines from Pope
" Formed by thy converse happily to
steer, al
From grave to gay, from lively to Sc
vere.'
And then you knew what Young says
about women in conversation
g "A dearth Of words woman need not
fear.
But It's a task. indeed. to learn to hear
That's It, you know. A woman can
find plenty Of words. o. she can talk
all right, but she can't learn to hear"
That evening after dinner, as Miss FL
lott and Bromley walked down the hail
Miss Elliott said: 30, what a genius
Mr.. Shuffey is. 1t doesn't seem poss BILE
that he could say commonplace thing
or be as stupid as most men are"
But, don't You see Miss Elliott" said
Bromley. desperately, that it's because
Shuffey loads I'D for just such displays
as he makes at every meal. Most OF the
men at the table are tired out at din
ner time from hard work during the day,
and they are willing to sit at the table
and be amused without making the ef-
fort to say bright things that Shufey
does He has an easy position IN his
uncle's firm, and he gets home an hour
before dinner and lays I'D in his room
and reads up on a lot of things and
prepares for the dinner hour. just like
an after-dinner speaker does for q ban
quet- Catch him when he is tired out
or when he hasn't had a chance to read /
up a lot Of original jokes and he would /
De ss poky as the rest Of u.s.
Indeed, Mr.. Bromley" said Miss FL |
lott, 'of one thing I am sure. Mr. |
Bromley could never be commonplace
Mr. shuney went the next day 70 a |
wedding Of one of his friends at high /
noon. Or Shufey was one OF the ush- /
ers and after the ceremony was over /
and the bride and groom, in a cab heav- /
lily decorated with ribbons and with sew /
eral pairs OF old shoes Gathering from /
the rear axle. had been driven away in /
the direction of the railroad station, he I
and the other ushers returned to the /
house and celebrated in most eonviviaI /
manner the happy event in which they
had just taken part About o'clock /
Shuffey started for home and met Brom-
ley on the way.
Hello. Bron. OF char" said shufey, I
thickly "How's BUSINESS"
Bromley took a good look al ShufTey /
Then an idea crossed his mind. Say
Shuffey." he said, come and take a /
walk T-arf n tax Won
Shuffey was ready for walk. He .
didn't care particularly about convers-
ing. bur he did want Bromley TO 60 I
with him 10 several nice places he knew +
OF to continue she celebration IF the nuD- 4
tials Of HIS friends. Mr.. Bromley was
wiling
At dinner that night bromley was in
hts seas at the table as soon as the
other boarders were, but DIR. Shuf1ey
came late.
WHY. where Is Mr. ShuGey2" sske1 +
Miss Elliott. 1T don't seem IKE dinner
without him lie IS 50 entertaining"
Drr Shunev entcweI ar Shuney's
face was flushed and he walked some
what unsfeadlly
"You are late. mr.. shufey." sad Miss
Elliott merri r.
Mr.. shuTey looked stupldly around TIE
table. He cometh late. she said -
marked Ar ShuEev. Everybody laugh
ed. bur Miss Elliott looked q BIT doubt
fuL
we we're talking about roses Ehsu
YOU came In" said 3ir. Th1Fnrson 'And
we were waiting Tor yau 70 give us ~
good cgotato1. ShErey
II dome know nothing about roses
SAID ar Shnfev Roses 10 good 70
eat Why dont you talk ahout hash7
nash is best Or Drunes. sooner TAX