MORAL: _Don't begin to Forget until you have it in Government Bonds._




_THE_ FABLE _OF THE_ HE-GOSSIP _AND THE_ MAN'S WIFE _AND THE_ MAN


Once upon a time there was a He-Gossip named Cyrenius Bizzy. Mr. Bizzy
was Middle-Aged and had a Set of dark Chinchillas. He carried a
Gold-Headed Cane on Sunday. His Job on this Earth was to put on a pair
of Pneumatic Sneakers every Morning and go out and Investigate Other
People's Affairs.

He called himself a Reformer, and he did all his Sleuthing in the line
of Duty.

If he heard of a Married Man going out Cab-Riding after Hours or playing
Hearts for Ten Cents a Heart or putting a Strange Woman on the Car, he
knew it was his Duty to edge around and slip the Information to some one
who would carry it to the Wife. He was such a Good Man himself that he
wanted all the other Men to wear long sable Belshazzars on the
Sub-Maxillary and come to him for Moral Guidance. If they would not do
it, the only Thing left for him to do was to Warn their Families now and
then and get them into Hot Water, thus demonstrating that the
Transgressor must expect Retribution to fall on him with quite a Crash.

Sometimes he would get behind a Board Fence to see the Wife of the
Postmaster break off a Yellow Rose and pass it over the Gate to the
Superintendent of the High School. Then he would Hustle out on his Beat