A magician having nearly finished his act without exciting any applause, gave his best stunts, expecting to get a rise out of the audience, but without result. He then advised that he had saved his very best trick for the last and asked all who wanted to see the devil to raise their hands. Receiving a hearty response, he told them to go to hell, leaving the stage in much haste. * * * * * Back to Childhood Days I visited an insane hospital at Oshkosh, Wis., and the keeper took me through. Up on the second floor we passed down a long hall. At the end there was a heavily padded and ironed cell. The keeper said to me, “The man in this cell is the most violent and strongest man we have here.” I looked at him. He was of Herculean build. As we turned away, there was an awful crash and the front of the cell was thrown out in the hall. I ran down the hall and the big fellow right after me. I jumped out of a window at the end of the hall and he jumped right after me. I ran around the hospital and he after me. The attendant stuck his head out of a window and said to me “Why don’t you run?” I said, “Do you think I am trying to throw this race?” I ran across a field and he was right after me. I could hear his footsteps behind me. I ran into a plowed field and that slowed me up. He was gaining on me. Finally he got near to me and he reached out and slapped me on the back and said, “Tag, you’re it.” * * * * * How’s This One? Jiggs fell into a big vat of turpentine over at the paint factory. Did it hurt him? Don’t know, they haven’t caught him yet. * * * * * Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. Our Rural Mail Box =_Petie L. Arsony_=—The reason why they feed convicts coarse food is to keep their blood pure, so that they won’t “break out.” * * * * * =_Johnnie L._=—A divorce suit should always be cleaned before being pressed. * * * * * =_Sweet Sixteen_=—You’re wrong. Woman is known not by the company she keeps, but by the company she does not keep. You did right in not keeping Johnnie’s company. * * * * * =_B. Good Tome_=—No, B, all chickens do not use fowl language, but I have met several who could swear quite fluently. * * * * * The Vanguard ’Tis weary watching wave by wave, But still the tide sweeps onward; We build like corals, grave by grave But pave a path that’s sunward. We’re beaten back in many a fray, But newer strength we borrow; And where the vanguard camps to-day, The rear shall camp tomorrow. * * * * * Ghouls, Take Note (From San Francisco Chronicle.) Wanted—Second hand Coffin or couch casket. Box 4050 Chronicle. * * * * * Drexerd Pulls This One