with closed eyes before a mirror.
4. A young man told his friend that he dreamed that he had struck his foot
against a sharp nail. "Why then do you sleep without your shoes?" was the
reply.
5. A robustious countryman, meeting a physician, ran to hide behind a wall;
being asked the cause, he replied, "It is so long since I have been sick,
that I am ashamed to look a physician in the face."
6. A gentleman had a cask of Aminean wine, from which his servant stole a
large quantity. When the master perceived the deficiency, he diligently
inspected the top of the cask but could find no traces of an opening.
"Look if there be not a hole in the bottom," said a bystander. "Blockhead,"
he replied, "do you not see that the deficiency is at the top, and not
at the bottom?"
7. A young man meeting an acquaintance, said, "I heard that you were dead."
--"But," says the other, "you see me alive."--"I do not know how that may
be," replied he: "you are a notorious liar, but my informant was a person
of credit."
8. A man, hearing that a raven would live two hundred years, bought one to
try.
9. During a storm, the passengers on board a vessel that appeared in
danger seized different implements to aid them in swimming, and one of the
number selected for this purpose the anchor.
10. One of twin-brothers died: a fellow meeting the survivor asked, "Which
is it, you or your brother, that's dead?"
11. A man whose son was dead, seeing a crowd assembled to witness the
funeral, said, "I am ashamed to bring my little child into such a numerous
assembly."
12. The son of a fond father, when going to war, promised to bring home
the head of one of the enemy. His parent replied, "I should be glad to see
you come home without a head, provided you come safe."
13. A man wrote to his friend in Greece begging him to purchase books.
From negligence or avarice, he neglected to execute the commission; but
fearing that his correspondent might be offended, he exclaimed when next
they met, "My dear friend, I never got the letter that you wrote me about
the books."
14. A wittol, a barber, and a bald-headed man travelled together. Losing
their way, they were forced to sleep in the open air; and, to avert danger,
it was agreed to keep watch by turns. The lot first fell on the barber,
who, for amusement, shaved the fool's head while he slept; he then woke
him, and the fool, raising his hand to scratch his head, exclaimed, "Here's
a pretty mista
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