"Very well," he said, designating her with a benevolent finger and a
bland smile, "what is it you would like to know, Cecilia?"

"Please, what's the price of them little pink parasols in your
show-window?"



_The Only Time When He Does_

A "Subscriber" once wrote to an editor and asked: "Please tell me,
does a man in running around a tree go before or behind himself?"

The editor answered:

"That depends. If he is trying to catch himself, necessarily he
follows himself, and consequently goes behind. If, on the contrary,
he is running away from himself, the deduction leads to the very
obvious conclusion that he precedes himself, and consequently goes
before. If he succeeds in catching up with himself, and passes
himself, at the moment of passing he neither precedes nor follows
himself, but both he and himself are running even. This is the only
case where he does not go before or behind himself."



_In the Absence of a Tip_

"Excuse me, madam, would you mind walking the other way and not