Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-11-03
DAMS TRICK.

once there was boy. he was
neither very little, nor yet very big.
And there wasn't anything extraordin-
ary about him until he learned a clev-
er trick. This is how it happened:
Dan. for that was his name, had
father and a mother who let him do
very much as he pleased. He had no
brothers and no sisters, which is gen
orally considered unfortunate for
tOy BY the time he was large enough
to play with other children he was so
unlike them that he had squabbles
with them every day.
1t is true. as was said, that his pa.
rents usually gave Dan his own way.
hut they were very careful to show
him what the consequences were.
When Dams mother saw that there
was danger of his forming a certain
wrong habit she would have a little
talk with him about it, and she started
a list of words on sheet of paper
at the top of which she wrote Dams
friends This list was neatly pasted
on piece Of cardboard and hung up
in the library.
When Dams mother found that he
was becoming careless in his manners
OF in his talk she wrote upon the list
"Christopher Careless. Esq If she
heard that he had quarreled with any
OF his plyamates the name of "John
Quincy Quarelsome' went down. Dan
WINGED every time there was an addi
ton of this kind.
But his good mother was a wise
woman, as mothers are likely to be,
sc she started also another list beside
the first. and headed in the same way,
Dams friends" One dav when Dan
bad shown a particular kindness to a
boy who needed it, she wrote on list
No SfMr Kenneth Kindness.'
This was a pleasure to Dan, as it
also was to find "Mr. Ignatius Indus
try" written down one evening after
Ht Hdu Clletl lullN NOuc HuIlVl Oti9 Ni
rands and chores for his mother.
Both lists grew gradually. for al
good points ard some-not so good.
For a time Dan was content to see that
LIST No I did not grow faster than
No. 2. If "Mr. Finegan Fibber" went
down, Dan was uneasy until he had
enlisted as his friend "Theophilus
TRUTH
Yet it seemed rather easy to encour-
age such fellows as "Ralph Rude, "
Isaac Ilnanners.' "Caleb Crabbid," ,"
"Cyrus Cruel" "Cornelius Cross
patch" "MaXimilian Meanness, y
Marcus Nope, Gideon Greedy,
"Enoch Envy, 'EPefcr X. Pride, - Den
5rs niscourteous.'' "Gld Mar Med
Id:esome,' and the like. Dan thought
lis mother must be trying very hare
to leng, hen this list of his friends.
Still he never could say that single
friend came that he himself had nor
invited.
What ,ronble5 n2n was that lis
number ore continued to grow. Da,.
thought he was entitled to have some
Of the names crossed off. so after
thinking about il he asked his mo h
Finneean Fibber, Esq, for this friend
was the most unwelcome of them all.
The request vas granted and Dan
was considering which nnwclcoma
chap he could discard next, when.
a1as his mother found out that he
had told another untruth and Finne-
crushed. He could easily steer clear
of any one Of the disreputable fellows
for day or two at a time. but they
would bob up most Unexpectedly. Dan
imagined that he could see them play
ing leapfrog and turning somersaults,
and doing high jumps everywhere he
vent They annoyed him amazingly.
Then it was that he invented his
trick. When "Dobbins 1ndolent Doc,
little, ESQ.," came carelessly along
ore morning and invited Dan to join
him in an idle stroll. Dan said firmly:
"1 hank YOU, no, sir! This is a busy
Gay for NE. I have some work to do
and several errands. Tomorrow I NAV
Soin you, but not today. Good-day.'
This fairly took Dobbns' breath. He
sneaked Off and did not show his face
again that day. But with a persist
cnce that did him no credit. consid-
ering how thoroughly lazy he is, he
hobbed serenely up next morning,
looking as attractive as Incidence can
and reminded Dan of his promise.
, Do, 1onl;p1 Of Iiy,, coyoro11, op1 Gy-