The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-02-21


woman, if it will please you | will make
a few remarks at your banquet"
That's dear, good boy" said Mrs.
Limkins, land you will let me write
out something for you, won't your"
mo, little woman" he replied, II
can't come down to that, you know;
but you shall not be ashamed of me-
And Mr.. Limkins went off, leaving Mrs
Limllins with some misgivings as to the
final outcome of her plans. For when
woman has been the constant COM
panion of man for II years, she is
very apt to have fair idea fhis men
tai capacity.
During the next few days Mr.. Linn
kins devoted the greater part of his
time to the preparation OF his extern
poraneous" speech. 1t was a matter of
so much Importance to him that he
even neglected his business to a con-
siderable extent: and when the morn
ing of the day of the banquet arrived,
Mr.. Limkins had written out and COM
mitted TO memory a speech that he
considered very high-class, However,
he felt that he needed n little practice
in delivery and determined to let his
clerks go home eaRly in the afternoon,
in order to have the office all to himself
for rehearsal. BY three o'clock the
last clerk had gone, and Mr.. Limkins,
after locking all the doors, began his
recitation. However, he did not find
this sort of practice at all satisfactory
at first. The dead, bare walls Of his Of
flee did not give back any encourage
ment, and he tried again and again
some particular sentences, with the
same unfavorable results. He felt that
he could do better if he had some living
thing 10 speak to-even if only dog or
a cat. lie needed a living pair of eyes
that he could fix with his eyes, in order
to concentrate his attention and prop
erly reach his climax.
Now, in the shuttle of the closing out
of the worlds fair. among other odds
and ends that Lad been sold at auction.
Mr.. Limkins had come into possession
of small white donkey that hal been
used in the Streets Of Cairo. Mr.. Linn
kins made this purchase for Silas. Jr.
and Silas. Jr.. boy-lilie, had. Tor the first
few weeks Of his possession, enjoyed
the donkey to the fullest extent; but
the novelty had worn Off. The donkey
was now an old story, and was allowed
to fall into state of innocuous desue-
tude- so far as Silas, Jr., was con-
cerncd.
Silas, Jr., WHO had tired of riding and
driving the donkey, now seldom
thought of him. and when he did think
Of him il was usually during one Of
those fits Of ennui-which boys will
have-and on these occasions Silas,
Jr., had for some time past been in the
habit of going into the barn, accom-
panied by a long sharp pointed stick
with which he would prod the donkey
into giving a frst-class exhibition in
high kicking. This sort of thing had
been going on long enough TO give the
donkey considerable practice ard he
had already attained a very high rec
ord for so small a donkey. Sias, Jr.,
had not, however, thought it neccs-
sary to take anyone into his confidence
regarding his late achievements with
the donkey.
When Mr.. Limkins felt the need Of
some living thing to inspire his elo-
quence, this living relic of the Mid
way" very naturally came into his mind,
lie knew the donkey was at leisure
in the barn at home, and he at once de-
cided the donkey should have the bene-
fit of his rehearsal. \ few minutes
later Mr.. Limkins entered his barn
closed and locked the doors behind him
and was alone with the donkey.
Mr.. Limkins prefaced his remarks
with few kind soothing words to his
donkayship, and taking a position i'm
mediately in front of him, began his
Grafton. The donkey was standing in
the middle of the barn chewing some
scraps of straw that were scattered
about and paid but little attention to
his visitor at first; but as Mr., Lmkins
got well into his subject and began
to throw in a Delsarte movement here
and there, he raised his head and
seemed to take considerable interest.
lie paeked his long ears forward over
his head in an inquiring way and eyed
the speaker narrowly. This inquisitiyc
attitude encouraged Mr.. Limkins to
still further effort and he became thor
oughly warmed up.
The donkey laid back his left ear
Mr.. Limkins was nearing bis climax
the donkey was nearing his Those
gestures became more and more famil-
lar and reminded him of other things
Mr.. Limkins closed an eloquent period
shaking his fist right in the face Of the
donkey Now, the donkey was of for
cign birth, and could not be expected
10 appreciate an American speech any
how-even under the most favorable
circumstances.
He laid back the other ear: sudden
ly changed ends and landed fairly on
Mr.. Limkins' seat Of utterancp. Mr..
Limkins sat down violently on a pile
Of old tomato cans and other rubbish
in a remote corner of the barn, silent
~, but rapidly opening and shutting
his mouth in vain attempt to cry
g., . !, l. l., -