eat talent.

As he looked over the verbal gems he had purchased, Gud decided that he
had no use for them, and so he called to the departing Critic: "Where
can I sell these words?"

"Go to Hell," shouted the Critic over his shoulder.

So Gud went to Hell, and reaching the gate thereof he knocked and cried:
"Is this the place where one brings the words of Genius?"

As Gud knew all things he knew the answer to his question before he
asked it, but he thought it best to ask anyway in order to verify his
omniscience. In this case it was wrong.

"No," said the gate keeper, and he gave Gud the correct address.

The way took Gud past seven more hells, for the people of this sphere,
being a righteous people, were amply helled.

Reaching at last the bottom-most vault beneath the deepest hell, Gud
came upon a junk shop.

As he entered, the proprietor, who looked both old and young, asked;
"Comest thou to buy or to sell?"

"I have a few words which I might sell," said Gud.

"I am not much interested in words," replied the proprietor, who looked
both old and young, "for I am a dealer in sin, and the sinfulness of
words is much over-rated."

"But the words I have are the words of Genius."

"Is the genius dead?" asked the dealer.

"Not yet, but he is being hounded by a critic."

"I'll take them in trade," suggested the dealer.

"What do you offer?" asked Gud.

"Anything you wish. I have a very complete catalog on crimes."

"I am interested in sin in a sort of professional way," admitted Gud,
"let me see your goods."

Very graciously the dealer escorted Gud through the chambers where his
stock of sins was stored.

It was a magnificent collection. There were huge piles of thefts of
property and of honor and virtue and of good name, and great bales of
untold lies. There were infinite infidelities and even a greater number
of credulities. There were a few ragged ends not justified by the means,
and many tyrannical prohibitions and faded blue laws, and a carefully
locked cabinet, labeled "Old Maids' Wishes."

There were easy sins for beginners and more difficult sins for hardened
criminals. There were sins with which children might please their
fathers and sins for fathers to visit upon their children and their
children's children. There were sins against men which are often
forgiven and sins against women which are never forgiven. There were
sins for the rich and sins for the poor, and a few rare sins suitable
for