The Genial Idiot

eakfast-room on the morning of Valentine's day, "how did o

red and twenty-four highly colored but somewhat insulting intimations that I had better go 'way back and sit down from hitherto unsuspected gentlemen friends scattered from Maine to California; one small can of salt

or your share of it, did

end me a funny picture of a monkey grinding a hand-organ with 'the loving regards of your brother,' or if somebody else who is afraid of becoming too fond of me sends me a horse-chestnut with a line to the effect that here is one I haven't printed, I d

valentine, and though it cast some doubt upon the quality of m

small paper from his pocket

GRY BIBL

u would cut

as your

ask you wh

n't sit a

that hath ma

g that dot

books, or wo

from off

niac, with a chuckle, as he folded up his valen

the Poet. "It takes genius to get up a rhyme like 'men' and 'chain you,' and I

. I wouldn't waste a rhyme like that on a personal valentine when I could

do it, eh?" dem

ed the Poet, with

I have had the unblushing effrontery to say, as

to begin with, and it was only fair that I should whack back. I got a val

E MINO

pluck the

m on high

gather th

those my

e about o

fill thei

r are those

d chrysant

pleasa

nds in

they ar

he world l

n that to make you angry. Seems to me there's some very ni

hol

he world lo

pondent. If he'd been vicious he m

so supe

e whole eart

think, and my only regret is that I do not know who the chap was who sent it. I'd li

is identity to me I will tell him you fell all over yourself with joy

the same vein, too, only he's not so complimentary. He calls m

Blank's a s

most hum

e does is

nary pa

e called t

urt by

take a kni

is bill he

you so well that I am inclined to think that the writer of that valentine lives in this

Doctor, dryly. "He's a fresh young

iption of Mr. Brief I ever heard. Mr. Brief, in the

Brief," said the Do

ried the Idiot. "People nowadays seem to me to be utterly lacking in that respect for the cloth to which it is entitled. Mr. Brief, if you real

et value of poems these days, that that valentine of the Doctor's is worth about two dollars. It would take me a century to write it, and inasmuch as my time is worth at least five dollars a y

, he's a great man. With all your many virtues, you seem to me to fit into a poetical theme ab

ession to verse with a nicety that elicits my most prof

er is no

us is h

r is no t

ur suits

things in al

the Lawye

e joys he

r people

all the Law

point rat

remain les

r gives

al people should be constantly giving away their services. He objects to the Doctor's bill and he slaps sarcastically at the Law

dly, Doctor. The idea of your trying to drag me into this thing is preposter

written," sai

" said the B

o," said

e," said

mpt to disguise it, and let any handwriting expert decide as to whether there is the sligh

nough," said M

things myself, and it'll make your hair curl, if you've go

nt the Idiot re

any, brai

noodle pa

osh, and ve

thing, ful

onkey, di

ero Syn

essing, la

tion of

kull, drive

dunce, and

eer and lo

ld Roget's

azy through

Idiot-th

l you, sir

be your

sked the Idiot, when he had fi

Idiot. Mr. Idiot, let me hand you a full cup of coffee. John, hand the Idiot the syr

was justified, because they were fond of the Idiot in spit

, "I really thought you sent those o

s the reason why I worked up that awful one o