The Greeley tribune., 1905-12-21

er crool TO the Observation-Disclosures
heorkeu. the whole outfit Of you! ANY
offsprinc of mine now present and for'
ever after holding his peace VINO
,,oyes feeble minded by the end OF 'le
coming week takes over all the worh'
labor and chores of such offspring rs
demonstrates himself in full possession
of his faculties. the matter TO De re-
ported on by the gov'ment."
No sovereign issuing proclamation
of war could have assumed more
formidable mien than Mrs. 1eilett
souattinc erect on the prairie, crowned
by her rabbit skin cap. Mary and Ju'
dlth, with bland. impassive express
sious. noted the effect of the mandate
There was not the faintest symptom
of rebellion. Each Brobdingnas ac'
cepted the matriarch's edict without a
murmur.
With an air of further meditation on
the efficacy of brown paper and vihe'
gar Mt the crucial moment, Mrs. Hellett
suddenly observed:
THE lacking, like the dog, may be
taught to fetch and carry book, but
to learn it he is unable
"Maw, does it say that in the Book
of Hiram?" asked Clematis.
ut says that an more too. 1t says,
The words of the wise are an expense.
but the lovin parent don't grudge
'em.'"
Mary Carmichael had noticed as her
alien presence came to be less of
check Oh Mrs. Yellett's natural medium
of expression that she was much adj
dicted to species of quotation with
which she impartially adorned her con-
versation, pointed family morals or
administered an occasional roproof.
These family aphorisms We're some
times semilegal, sometimes semiscrip-
tural in turn Of phrase and built on
a foundation of homely philosophy.
They were ascribed to the Book of
Hiram" and never failed Of salutary
effect in the family circle. But the apt
quotations that she had just heard
piqued Mary's curiosity more than be-
fore.
DO you happen to have n copy of
the Book of Hiram, Mrs. Yellett?' she
asked, in all innocence. supposing that
the homely apothegms We're to be
found at the back of some patent
medicine almanac. Judith Rodney
listened in wonder. The question had
never before been asked in her hear
Ing.
II lost mine" Mrs. Yellett folded
her arms and looked at her Questioner
with something of challenging mien.
What pity! I've been so interest
ed in the quotations I've heard you
make from it."
whats the matter with 'em?" she
demanded, pride and apprehension
equally commingled.
Judith Rodney rushed to the rescue.
Nothing is the matter with them,
Mrs. Yellett," she said, with her dis
arming smile, except that there is not
quite enough to go around"
The matriarch had the air Of gath
ering herself together for something
really worth while. Then she tossed
Off:
"'Taln't always the quality Of the
grub that confers the flavor, but some
times the scarcity thereof"
Perhaps 1t has been the good for
tune Of some Of us to say n word Of
praise to an author, while unconscious
Of his relationship to the book praised.
Mark the genial glow radiating from
every feature Of our auditor! How we
feel ourselves anointed with his ap-
proval. our good taste and critical fac
ulty how commended! 1t is luxury
that goes long way toward mItigat-
Ing the discomfitures caused by the
reverse Of this unctuous blunder.
THE Book Of Hiram." said Mrs. Vel
lett, angling for time, "is a book-it do
surprise me that 1t escapes your notice
back east. You ever heard tell of the
Book Of Mormonr'
Mary assented.
well. the Book Of Hiram Is like the
Book Of Mormon, only q heap more
undefiled. The youngest child can
read 1t without asking n single embar-
RAISING question of Its elder, and the