Servants came running from all directions, and he ordered them to send at once for his bookkeeper, his cashier, his agents. Several appeared within a few minutes. He cried: “Sell! Sell everything, and at once!” His prompt action saved his house from a catastrophe, as stocks went way down. But his imprudence made his recovery very slow, as it confined him to his bed for weeks longer. Saved His New Hat The famous sculptor, Schadow, and Minister von Schuckmann were both frequent visitors at a Berlin club. The former always went home early, while the minister was generally the last to leave, and had his carriage call for him. One evening the minister was the very last one again, and found in the dressing-room only one hat. Now his own hat was old and worn and this one was brand new. There was nothing to do—as he did not wish to drive home bare-headed—but to wear the strange hat. Although the rain was pouring down hard, it would not hurt the hat in the carriage. Early the next morning, while the minister was still in bed, his footman brought him his old hat and a note. It was from Schadow, saying: “I bought a new hat yesterday morning. When I was leaving the club last night it rained hard, and as I did not wish to spoil my new hat, I took yours, knowing that your Excellency would drive mine home unharmed.” No Great Art At a company, some one mentioned that a famous Dutch painter could, with one stroke of his brush, change a laughing child’s face into a crying one. “Pshaw, that’s no great art; I can do that with a broomstick!” was another’s dry remark. Style Neutral A Jewish country merchant was in Frankfurt on business, and decided to have a new suit made while there. The tailor took his measure and asked: “Do you wish the coat made English, French, or German style?” “Make it nice and modern, but quite neutral; I wish to live with the whole world in peace,” was the Jew’s reply. A Bit of Diplomacy A rich Jew asked a poor Jew to dinner. Fish was served, and the rich man gave the poor man the smallest. He picked at them with his fork, without eating any, and mumbled the while in his beard. The rich man watched him for some time, and then asked: “Why don’t you eat? What are you doing with the fishes?” “Excuse me,” said the other, “I was talking to the fish.” “Well, what about?” “I had a brother who was drowned some years ago, and we could not find him in the water; so I was asking the fishes if they could tell me something about him.” “What do they say?” “That they were still too small to know anything about it; that I should ask the big ones.” Ashamed, the rich man filled his plate with large fish. No Cause for Weeping A Jew cried bitterly, when during the day of atonement, the rabbi, chanting the psalm of penitence, came to the place: “Dust thou art, to dust thou shalt return.”