Perpetual Motion

A Western correspoudont of Harper's Magazine gots off the following excellent joke : " I was traveling in Virginia by stage, and, spendiug the nigbt at a oountry tavern, wa3 greatljr entertained by the talk of the stage drivers and others sittiug by the bar room fire in the morniDg. One old codger worked of a good tbing. ' When I was down to the fair, a good many years ago,' said the old felIow, ' there was a prize offered to the one who would come the nearest to making a perpetual motion. Well, all sorts of machines, of all shapcs and materials, were fetched tbere aud shown, and tUe makers of them tnld how long fbey would run. As I was walking about atnong them I saw a sign over a tent : - -"All who waut to seo a perpetual motion, and no mistake, meet here." So, I paid the admission fee, and went in. Very soon a queer little fellow got up on a box that served for a platform, aud addressed the audieuee : " Ladies and geutlemen, I am goiug to eshibit to you the most wouderfullest iuvantioD you havo ever seen. It has beon runuin' for full three years, and f nobody stops it, it'll run for ever." Here he unrollod a strip of paper. " This is a Puintek's Eill!" And as he held it up to the gaze of the people, they admitted that, whether the bill was paid or not. they bad been eold.' "