g
in it, and that's an end to it."

"Well, I'll go in it if you change your scheme," said the Doctor. "If
instead of an Idiot Publishing Company you will try to float yourself as
a Consolidated Gas Company you may count on me to take a controlling
interest."

"I will submit the proposition to my friends," said the Idiot, calmly.
"It would be something to turn out an honest gas company, which I
should, of course, try to be, but I am afraid the public will not accept
it. There is little demand for laughing-gas, and, besides, they would
fear to intrust you with a controlling interest for fear that you might
blow the product out and the bills up--coining millions by mere
inflation. They've heard of you, Doctor, and they know that is the sort
of thing you'd be likely to do."

V

University Extension

"I was surprised and gratified last evening, Mr. Idiot," observed the
School-master as breakfast was served, "to see you at the University
Extension Lecture. I did not know that you admitted the necessity of
further instruction in any matter pertaining to human knowledge."

"I don't know that I do admit the necessity," returned the Idiot.
"Sometimes when I take an inventory of the contents of my mind it seems
to me that about everything I need is there."

"There you go again!" said the Bibliomaniac. "Why do you persist in your
refusal to allow any one to get a favorable impression concerning you?
Mr. Pedagog unbends sufficiently to tell you that you have at last done
something which he can commend, and you greet him with an Idiotism which
is practically a rebuff."

"Very well said," observed the School-master, with an acquiescent nod.
"I came to this table this morning encouraged to believe that this young
man was beginning to see the error of his ways, and I must confess to a
great enough interest in him to say that I was pleased at that
encouragement. I saw him at a lecture on literature at the Lyceum Hall
last evening, and he appeared to be interested, and yet this morning he
seems to show that he is utterly incorrigible. May I ask, sir, why you
attended that lecture if, as you say, your mind is already sufficiently
well furnished?"

"Certainly you may ask that question," replied the Idiot. "I went to
that lecture to have my impressions confirmed, that is all. I have
certain well-defined notions concerning University Extension, and I
wished to see if they were correct. I found that they were."

"The lect