He Got A Dig At Him

From the New York Tribune: He and her father were great friends. As only four persons figure in this story, it is unneeessary to mention names. He had a rival for her affections, and her father could never understand why she preferred the rival to him. One day when he sat on the porch chatting to her father, she called him into the parlor and told him frankly that she had promised to marry his rival. He did not plead or beg. He kissed her hand with a sort of reverenoe and then returned to his seat on the porch and renewed the conversation with her father. In those few moments everything seemed to have changed for him. The sun did not shine as brightly, the birds did not sing as they did before. Even the grass and trees seemed sear and dead. He had expected what he just heard, but that did not seem to abate the shock. He was distrait and moody. Her father saw this and asked him the cause. He blurted out the whole miserable truth. Her father continued to polish his glasses carefully vand then aid: .-- "Wimn folks is mighty onsartin' .critt'ers." Her father said nothing more, but nothing would change her mind. Gradually it carne to be generally known that he had been rejected and that his rivai was the fortúnate wooer. They, he and his rival, were alumni of the same college. He was down for a speech at the alumni dinner. A month before he had attended her wedding. No one ever heard him complain, though all knew how he suffered. He was looked upon as the orator of his class, and a great speech was expected. When he aróse a sinister glitter could be seen in his eye. He began to speak slowly. He took as his text "Acquired Tastes." He spoke at length. Finally he said: "I called upon a dear friend some time ago who had just had a daughter married. He feit his loss very keenly. I tried to console him, telling him that while he had lost a daughter he had gained a son. He said slowly to me: " 'Maybe I will come to like him after a while - like I do my cigar, but the flrst few puffs are making me mighty sick.' " It was in Kentucky. Not a word was said then, but just as the sun peeped over the hills the next day two dark forms were seen silhouetted against the sky. There were two flashes, a combined, subdued report - and one fel), never to rise again. It was he.