The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-10-27
A TALE AND A MORAL.

ating business about fifteen minutes
when it suddenly occurred to me that
L was wasting my stock. What's the
use of circumfusing good nature into
the encompassing atmosphere when
every object within hailing distance is
already overcharged with the same
fluid? But just then large and malev-
olent mosquito squatted on the tip of
my nose and forthwith started boring
for oil. Here was my chance. 'Ah,'
! said I, thou poor misguided creature,
drink thy fill, and welcome. A drop of
blood more or less, what does it mat,
ter? 1t is true thou inf1ict pain
upon him that feedeth thee, but what
of it? 1t is thy way of doing business,
and thou too, must live The mosqui-
to, filled from stem to stern with blood, >
was too heavy to fly away at once, and
he carelessly walked about my face,
examined my lilacs, tickled my lips
and nostrils, and invited death in a
thousand different ways. Did l smite
him? Not much. He was quite tame.
Evidently my good nature had SUBJ
dued him. At last after buzZing few
words of thanks into my ear, he flew
away-and in less than three minutes
he returned with his whole tribe at his
back, and they lit upon me and pune
tuated my hide in thousand different
places at once. put double pressure
on my radiating apparatus, but to no
purpose. The pestiferous insects re-
fused to be .subdued by good nature.
For ten minutes l let them work their
will. The skin on my hands and face
) felt like porous plaster. l had but
, little blood left, but it was at the boil
{ ing point. pulled out my red ban
danna and made havoc among them.
: Most of them were too heavy laden
7 with my blood to fly; they fell to the
ground and trampled them into the
ground with a satisfaction that was
5 akin to rapture. Then L washed my
, face and hands, lit my pipe, and re-
t sumed my seat under the beech. Re.
: morse soon laid clammy hand upon
3 my re-awakening conscience. Alas
. and alack! That a man should be
l swerved from his aim by swarm OF
: Insignificant mosquitoes! 1 groaned
l in spirit, but resolved to do better the
!, next time.
: "While was yet repenting in sack.
v cloth and ashes-fguratively speaking
: that is-a man came walking up the
f track. When he saw me he stopped
;, and asked for little tobacco. Igreet
Q ed him with smile yard wide, an6
y banded him my tobacco pouch. HI
b filled his pipe and put the tobacco
K pouch into his own pocket. Then he
d borrowed a dozen matches from MT
,, and went his way rejoicing. My gooG
nature radiating machinery had beer
l. freshly oiled, and was running smooth
k ly. 1 confidently hoped to keep th'
1 man within striking distance of m,
10 radiator, to make him wilt under tn,
j. gentle influence of my good nature, t.
l. draw him back to me and make hin
d apologize for his uncivil conduct-bu
If he never stopped, never even looked
IF back at me.
E. "While was yet pondering the VIII.
,r and the wherefore of my failure to sub
t. due the hoggish nature of the NAL
le who had my tobacco pouch in hi
d keeping, another man came up to m
n and asked the time of day. 1 locke,
a. at my watch and gave him the desire'
4; information. Then 1 scrutinized thi
e, newcomer, and at once recognized il
lie him the original of the Dusty Rhode.
Of of the comic papers. There he stoo
t. before me, bristling hair, bristlin
lg whiskers, red nose, tomato can, and a
Of the other outward signs and token
x characteristic of the hitherto to m
is, mystic parsonage, Mr.. Dusty Rhodes.
t. "'Wot are yer doin' here p he asked
es "sMy friend, l am just radiatin
r. good nature,' answered
re "'That so? Glad to hear it. Say,
e. hain't had no breakfast yet; can "
in radiate me quarter?'
n "'Sure thing. Here you CO. So sa,
We ing, drew my wallet and fished out
ut quarter.
"Thanks. Say, Pm awful glad
Ii run across guy like you. | see y