The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-25
BLUFF: A USEFUL EXPEDIFNT
b1 FRED. D..

A"oCh1LS OF youth, acting
1Pon n Representatives, of the
child mind. a constituencies uneased Of
US poignant suffering by the philo-
sopny that in latter life deadens the
sung OF hur1 Is more keenly tortur-
!ng than the modification felt by man
IN like situation. For examples:
Reginald was not really a bad sort:
was Handicapped by being spoiled.
HIS mother was sentimental, magma
tlVe' dramatically inclined and prone
exaggerating. All this influenced
the boy. He imagined something so
wildly that often he came to believe
That it was true. In a trance Of i'm
he lost perception Of the
Of the real and the unreal.
inns Is a sort Of self %hypnotism tina
many children indulge in. One
morning on his way to school Regin-
aid was thinking intently Of a tale
MS mother had read him the previous
evening about a lad who was phe-
nomenally strong. AS he relieved
the story he almost unconsciously
placed himself in the position Of the
nero. When he arrived in the school
yard he was so possessed with his
realities and caution. To his assem-
bled school, mates he starthngly an
that he was the strongest
boy in chOol. For a they
regarded him in amazement while
they considered the proposition.
Then one little chap declared hat he
was from Missouri, and in unision
with a dozen others. demanded to be
shown. Soon the entire school gath
cred o and Reginald realized the
contretemps his ill-advised statement
had brought about for him. In his
awful ~predicament he ~instinctively
resorted to bluff. Il will prove it at
recess" This statement saved him
from immediate humiliation and
within which he hoped to evolve some
plan of escape.
The hours before recess proved al
ternately a period Of perturbation.
M curiously though it may seem, of
~exaltation. His fellow pupils were
constantly regarding him attentively.
He felt the thrilling sensation Of be-
ing in the spot light and greedily
drank Of the chalice OF pleasure we'll
dregs- He had almost forgotten the
fearful ordeal impending when the
bell for recess sounded. It recalled
him to a realization Of facts and with
the realization came a feeling OF
panic.
The order to break ranks brought
the crisis: He was instantly sur
TOdnOeO ny q hundred curious OOys
demanding proof Of his strength. HI
was put to the test and failed, failed
miserably for he was only twelve an6
rather frail. TIE jeers and laughs anG
jibes that followed were like stings
Of the lash on tender flesh. His bluff
had fallen through.
On the other hand a successfu
bluff carries with it a double victory
that of accomplishing the primar!
0AsAn - hN h1,,ff on1 chat ~ hox I,
ing put it all over the other fel
lows.
!: One DR.. Frederick Cook, aforetim'
associate of polar bear, icebergs an
EsQuimaux, holds the championship
as a buffer. He is the n and onl,
person so far who has completed,
and thoroughly bluffed the world. II
did the job up brown. there WASH
any question about that. In fact, wit
a great many the bluff has not en-
t tirely worn of yet.
The Doctor has a life time right t
chuckle with qualification when h
thinks of how the good people tum
bled-the open arm welcome CT roy
: atty, the congratulation Of nations
+, the universal acclaim Of the press an
$ the plaudits of a billion people. Eve
the redoubtable Theodore neve
e staged quite such a sensation. Han
S nibal bluffed an army, Beau Brum
mel a court. Cagllostro a nauon on
Cook alone transcribed the limits G
: continents and governments and play
e ed a bluff universal and colossal.
Y Some bluffs have proved so useft
e that they have received the sanctio
e and the approval of society; some az
regarded as harmless and amusins
while others are applauded or sneere
d at according to their success or fai
e ure.
5. The Bluff in Medicine.
d Just how extensively the pill rol
ers take us in on the bluff Sitio
we have no means Of knowing. Pra'
/ t%itioners of the art Of healing al
le conscientious followers Of a strict CO
of ethics. Like army and nav me
l. they are peculiarly loyal 10 the stan'
ards and the morals Of their profe
sion, but, 50 far as we outsiders ca
Judge, their aforesaid code has /
prohibition against bluff. In ia
some frank spoken people oecla.
d that bluff is to medicine what Il