effect would be. Would it be harmful, Doctor?"

"I really do not know how it would be," answered the Doctor. "In all my
wide experience I have never found a case of the kind."

"It's very rarely that one gets too much spring chicken," said Mr.
Whitechoker. "I haven't had any experience with patients, as my friend
the Doctor has; but I have lived in many boarding-houses, and I have
never yet known of any one even getting enough."

"Well, perhaps we shall have all we want this morning," said Mrs.
Smithers. "I hope so, at any rate, for I wish this day to be a memorable
one in our house. Mr. Pedagog has something to tell you. John, will you
announce it now?"

"Did you hear that?" whispered the Idiot. "She called him 'John.'"

"Yes," said the genial old gentleman. "I didn't know Pedagog had a first
name before."

"Certainly, my dear--that is, my very dear Mrs. Smithers," stammered
the School-master, getting red in the face. "The fact is,
gentlemen--ahem!--I--er--we--er--that is, of course--er--Mrs. Smithers
has er--ahem!--Mrs. Smithers has asked me to be her--I--er--I should say
I have asked Mrs. Smithers to be my husb--my wife, and--er--she--"

"Hoorah!" cried the Idiot, jumping up from the table and grasping Mr.
Pedagog by the hand. "Hoorah! You've got in ahead of us, old man, but we
are just as glad when we think of your good-fortune. Your gain may be
our loss--but what of that where the happiness of our dear landlady is
at stake?"

Mrs. Smithers glanced coyly at the Idiot and smiled.

"Thank you," said the School-master.

"You are welcome," said the Idiot. "Mrs. Smithers, you will also permit
me to felicitate you upon this happy event. I, who have so often
differed with Mr. Pedagog upon matters of human knowledge, am forced to
admit that upon this occasion he has shown such eminently good sense
that you are fortunate, indeed, to have won him."

"Again I thank you," said the School-master. "You are a very sensible
person yourself, my dear Idiot; perhaps my failure to appreciate you at
times in the past has been due to your brilliant qualities, which have
so dazzled me that I have been unable to see you as you really are."

"Here are the chickens," said Mrs. Smithers.

"Ah!" ejaculated the Idiot. "What lucky fellows we are, to be sure! I
hope, Mrs. Smithers, now that Mr. Pedagog has cut us all out, you will
at least be a sister to the rest of us, and let us live at home."

[Illustration: "'HOORAH!' CRIED T