.

George gave him an Imported Panetella and said He didn't believe it was
going to Rain. Mabel's Father said it looked Black in the West, but he
Reckoned it might blow around, like as not. Mabel said she wouldn't be
a bit Surprised if it did blow around.

[Illustration: MABEL'S FATHER]

Mabel's Father told Mabel she could show George where the Ice-Box wuz in
case he Expressed a Hankerin', and then he went down street to examine
some Fishing Tackle just purchased by a Friend of his in the Hay and
Feed Business. Just as Father struck the Cement Walk George changed to
the Strangle Hold.

MORAL: _The Exception proves the Rule._

_THE_ FABLE _OF THE_ PREACHER _WHO_ FLEW _HIS_ KITE, _BUT_ NOT BECAUSE
_HE_ WISHED _TO_ DO _SO_

A certain Preacher became wise to the Fact that he was not making a Hit
with his Congregation. The Parishioners did not seem inclined to seek
him out after services and tell him he was a Pansy. He suspected that
they were Rapping him on the Quiet.

The Preacher knew there must be Something wrong with his Talk. He had
been trying to Expound in a clear and straightforward Manner, omitting
Foreign Quotations, setting up for illustration of his Points such
Historical Characters as were familiar to his Hearers, putting the
stubby Old English words ahead of the Latin, and rather flying low along
the Intellectual Plane of the Aggregation that chipped in to pay his
Salary.

But the Pew-Holders were not tickled. They could Understand everything
he said, and they began to think he was Common.

So he studied the Situation and decided that if he wanted to Win them
and make everybody believe he was a Nobby and Boss Minister he would
have to hand out a little Guff. He fixed it up Good and Plenty.

[Illustration: GUFF]

On the following Sunday Morning he got up in the Lookout and read a Text
that didn't mean anything, read from either Direction, and then he
sized up his Flock with a Dreamy Eye and said: "We cannot more
adequately voice the Poetry and Mysticism of our Text than in those
familiar Lines of the great Icelandic Poet, Ikon Navrojk:

"To hold is not to have--
Under the seared Firmament,
Where Chaos sweeps, and Vast Futurity
Sneers at these puny Aspirations--
There is the full Reprisal."

When the Preacher concluded this Extract from the Well-Known Icelandic
Poet he paused and looked downward, breathing heavily through his Nose,
like Camille in the Third Act.

A Sto