The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-31
THE
JOKER


pital. Won't you take chance on a
nice sofa cushion. that l made my
self-AMr. Vaughan"
with pleasure-Miss Handson."
"Miss Handson?"
"'Mr. Vaughan"
"Oh, well--you knowl" ~
II know-what?"
"Oh, nothing!"
PRECISELY am glad you have
gnaged the extent of my knowledge
so accurately"
II did not mean that"
"No?"
Certainly not"
How long have we known each
other?
II was 10 years old before knew
you. Therefore, / must have known
you since the day you were born.
You can't be more than 90"
Pretty, but not true. You are only
five years older than /. Cedric"
"Ahl 'Cedric!' That's better. why
the formality Of Mr.. Vaughan"
"To avoid the familiarity Of Cedric
when one is begging. l don't like to
presume upon old friendship for this
kind of thing. you know"
"That is to say. you don't know me
we'll enough, or trust me sufficiently"
THAT is untrue. and not very kind"
Them"
81 don't know. VIII you take a
chance, Cedric-dear boy?"
How many are there, Etty-dear
girl?"
"One hundred-one cent to dol
lar"
Fifty dollars. all told. Isn't that
rather steep for a sofa cushion. Et-
ty?"
But look at the end in view. Ced-
ric."
81 am looking rather at the means
to the end. ETY."
The means?-the money!"
'No-the instrument"
"Your humble servant?"
Humble? | have heard of a pride
that apes humility. But ! have al
ways considered you too proud to
ape anything"
Thank you, Cedric. Will you take
a chance-please?
81 was Just thinking"
Are you so ,poor-or are you tenn
porarily embarrassed"
81 am not rich: and | am very
much embarrassed at present-though
not financially. was just thinking
would take long chance-at much
higher stakes-were It offered me-"
"On what. pray?"
Are you very much interested In
this hospital, Etty?"
mo"
Again, thank you"
"'For nothing being the cllipsis
understood"
"Was | not one of the founders OF
St Phillips? Have l not devoted
time, money and even health to the
cause?"
"All of which are consistent with
motives other than purely philanthro-
pic, in young ladies Of leisure, wealth,
and"
Vanity"
81 did not say that"
"Only thought it,"
"No. Again, should say that
think you are too proud-to be vain"
"And again thank you. Did you
ever dabble in analytical chemistry,
Cedric?"
81 never had ambition enough to
dabble in anything"
mo? ! thought you were in very
analytical mood. Do you remember
what the bishop said in his sermon
last Sunday-that one should try to
give people credit for the best OF
motives? But. then-you know so lit
tie of me-"
81 would like very much to know
more"
Il will answer any questions that 1t
may please you to PROFOUND, with a
view to enlightening yourself, upon
my thoughts, motives. or idiosyn-
crasies,"
"No-thank you"
"You are afraid my answers might
not be ingenious, or truthful"
81 don't believe you would tell a lie
to save your life"
TOO proud"
Exactly"
"Thank YOU"
$50, you are very much interested
in st. Philips. think you said?"
Il believe | did"
"You give time, money and even
health. Is there nothing else that
you would give?"
"If you can show me anything else
that vossess-worth giving-I will
give it. gladly"
II think | can"
Name it,"
Yourself"
81 am already given"
mot absolutely"
How could | give myself more alb
solutely. Cedric?"
I'm the same way as the sofa cush-
: ion."
"A hundred chances at one cent to