_The_ Fable _of the_ Bohemian _Who_ had Hard Luck 157
_The_ Fable _of the_ Coming Champion _Who was_ Delayed 163
_The_ Fable _of the_ Lawyer _Who_ Brought in _a_ Minority Report 177
_The_ Fable _of the Two_ Mandolin Players _and the_ Willing Performer 181
_The_ Fable _of the_ Man _Who_ Didn't Care _for_ Story-Books 195
_THE_ FABLE _OF THE_ VISITOR _WHO_ GOT _A_ LOT _FOR_ THREE DOLLARS.
The Learned Phrenologist sat in his Office surrounded by his Whiskers.
Now and then he put a Forefinger to his Brow and glanced at the Mirror
to make sure that he still resembled William Cullen Bryant.
Near him, on a Table, was a Pallid Head made of Plaster-of-Paris and
stickily ornamented with small Labels. On the wall was a Chart showing
that the Orangoutang does not have Daniel Webster's facial angle.
"Is the Graft played out?" asked the Learned Phrenologist, as he waited.
"Is Science up against it or What?"
Then he heard the fall of Heavy Feet and resumed his Imitation. The Door
opened and there came into the Room a tall, rangy Person with a Head in
the shape of a Rocky Ford Cantaloupe.
Aroused from his Meditation, the Learned Phrenologist looked up at the
Stranger as through a Glass, darkly, and pointed to a Red Plush Chair.
The Easy Mark collapsed into the Boarding-House Chair and the Man with
more Whiskers than Darwin ever saw stood behind Him and ran his Fingers
over his Head, Tarantula-Wise.
[Illustration: THE LEARNED PHRENOLOGIST]
"Well, well!" said the Learned Phrenologist "Enough Benevolence here
to do a family of Eight. Courage? I guess yes! Dewey's got the same kind
of a Lump right over the Left Ear. Love of Home and Friends--like the
ridge behind a Bunker! Firmness--out of sight! Reverence--well, when it
comes to Reverence, you're certainly There with the Goods!
Conscientiousness, Hope, and Ideality--the Limit! And as for
Metaphysical Penetration--oh, Say, the Metaphysical Penetration, right
where you part the Hair--oh, Laura! Say, you've got Charles Eliot Norton
whipped to a Custard. I've got my Hand on it now. You can feel it
yourself, can't you?"
"I can feel Something," replied the Human Being, with a rapt Smile.
[Illustration: HUMAN BEING]
"Wit, Compassion and Poetic Talent--right here where I've got my
Thumb--a Cinch! I think you'll run as high as 98 per cent on all the
Intellectual Faculties. In your Case we have a Rare Combination of
Executive Ability, or the Power to Command, and those Qualities of
Benevolence and Ideality which contribute to the fostering of Permanent
Religious Sentiment. I don't know what your present Occupation is, but
you ought to be President of a Theological Seminary. Kindly slip me
Three Dollars before you Pass Out."
The Tall Man separated himself from Two Days' Pay and then went out on
the Street and pushed People off the Sidewalk, He thought so well of
Himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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