The Pulaskian., 1919-07-18
SET HIM THINKIAE
Squire's Placard Caused ,,.
 pleasant Surmise.
Of Course MT. Carr Knew Ina. n, No Circumstances Could Hs s'' p Considered a Bore, but. Wa,
 There It Was.

Isaac Pratt was making a fyiona, call in Squire Marr's office. C,onnaD' snul' tion Jagged, and he let his eyes ras ss, round the room. 0'u
 Hello !" he said. q see von,vo a new plaeard on the wall ppb,. sO' my busy day A gentle hint to ho,. s N I suppose sS
 Well, it was meant to be-" said A. squire with a grim laugh. q igo e have my friends drop in oecasionol,,O :" v he explained ''even if they have Y special business. But some of tbaD " come little too often and stay aIta M gether too long. They may not bon. anything more important to do at ms time than to talk politics or spin var0a But 1t often happens that have. ana in that case, putting my time asoins. theirs isn't an even swap The fact s the average man is so interesting to himself that he can't imagine fhot hs may be bore to other people"
 Puts me in mind of an exneriaro. I once had trying to get rid of horas said Isaac, as he settled himself com fortably in his chair. "I WAS dolr. quite little business one winter build ing pleasure boats to order. and . neighbor of mine, an oldish man win some means and nothing to do. uSaS to come to my shop every day ana toast himself by the fire and talb, talk talk from morning till night f. was rather fussy work l was doino and he almost drove me wild fellius old stories and offering advice: hut 7. remembered my manners and never let on to him that wasn't pleased with his company. By the time I'd get home at night, though, my good ns. ture would be pretty much gone.
 "'Why don't you try being little cool to him and see if he won't take the hint?' my wife would say; and finally I thought I'd carry out that idea, although not exactly in the way she meant.
 ''So the next day when I got to the shop I went right to work on my boat without the usual preliminaries. t was below-zero morning. and when Mir. Judkins came in he made bee line for the stove.
 "'Why, says he, all shiyering, you haven't got mite of fret
 No says 1, my work is sort Of bothersome, and I thought mebbe ny head would be clearer in cold room
 'He tried to argue me out of that notion, but I was kind of obstinate; and after shivering round spell he went off. and had the shop to myself for the balance of the day. I didn't get on so much faster with my work, though, what with having to stop to blow on my fingers every few min utes; and as for my head being clear CT, it didn't turn out that way in the end. When I got home that night realized that I had q hard cold on me and I didn't see the shop again for three weeks.
 '"That would have been quite price to pay even if I had got shed of Mr. Judkins, but, you see. hadn't When he found I was laid up, he considered it his duty to visit the sick. and he would stay with me for hours. He even sat up with me couple of nights when l was worst off, and must own that he was grand good hand in SICK ness. When I did get so that could go to the shop, he went on ahead aDa built up a rousing hot fire, so that we could both be comfortable. He was certainly q kind-hearted person. guess bores generally are; and that one reason why we find it so plaguy hard to get rid of them. Isn't that s9 squire?"
 "How's that? Oh, yes, suppose soF answered the squire, looking up from his writing.
 Some time later Isaac leisurely tOoA his leave. When halfway home, @ halted abruptly, confronted by an er tirely new thought.
 By jingol !" he said to himself. YOU don't suppose the squire meant 'la placard partly for me, do you! Youths Companion.