"Well, Mark," he said, "I congratulate you most heartily."

I divined his meaning. It did not seem odd that he had learned my
secret, for I was lost in admiration of his having once weighed an
event at its proper value. So I thanked him and returned to my chair
and my pipe.

"Of course it hurts me a bit here," said he, laying his hand on his
watch-pocket. "I had hopes at one time myself, but I fear I depended
too much on music and elocution. Do you know I'm beginnin' to think
that a man shouldn't depend so much on art with weemen. I notice them
gets along best who doesn't keep their arms entirely occupied with
gestures and workin' the fiddle."

[Illustration: "Of course it hurts me a bit here."]

Perry winked sagely at this and cackled. He rocked violently to and
fro on his feet, from heel to toe and toe to heel.

"Yet it ain't a bit onreasonable," he went on. "The artist thinks he
is amusin' others, when, as a matter of fact, he is gettin' about
ninety per cent. of the fun himself. We allus enjoys our own singin'
best. I see that now. I thought it up as I was comin' down the road
and I concided that the next time I seen a likely lookin' Mrs. Perry
Thomas, she could do the singin' and the fiddlin' and the elocution,
and I'd set by and look on and say, 'Ain't it lovely?'"

"You bear your disappointments bravely," said I.