BOASTING


The engineer had become tired of the boastful talk he heard from the
other engine drivers at his boarding-house. One evening he began:

"This morning I went over to see a new machine we've got at our place,
and it's astonishing how it works."

"And how does it work?" asked one.

"Well," was the reply, "by means of a pedal attachment a fulcrumed
lever concerts a vertical reciprocating motion into a circular
movement. The principal part of the machine is a huge disk that
revolves in a vertical plane. Power is applied through the axis of the
disk, and work is done on the periphery, and the hardest steel by mere
impact may be reduced to any shape."

"What is this wonderful machine?" was asked.

"A grindstone," was the reply.


Senator Tillman was arguing the tariff with an opponent.

"You know I never boast," the opponent began.

"Never boast? Splendid!" said Senator Tillman, and he added quietly,
"No wonder you brag about it."