. O'FLANNAGAN'S EXPENSE_

I. SEEING ITALY AT MRS. O'FLANNAGAN'S EXPENSE 127

II. "Y" SERVICE 139

III. JOHN CORNWALL TRAVELS A BIT AND RETURNS HOME 161

IV. TWO CANDIDATES 172

NIRVANA

NIRVANA 181

A CONSCIOUS MUMMY 198

DOCTOR BROWN OF DANVILLE 213

RICHARD HAWKWOOD 225

THE SEARCHLIGHT

THE SEARCHLIGHT 269

CHIT-CHAT.

CHAPTER I.

I thought to write a book entitled: "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." How
much is buried in the wreckage of yesterday--how uninteresting today is
and how little is to be done--our burden we shift to the strong, young
shoulders of tomorrow; tomorrow of the big heart, who in kindness hides
our sorrows and whispers only of hope. I ended by writing,--this--which
I have called "Chit-Chat," thus classifying the book, knowing that such
a book if true to name will picture the age and find a publisher.

I have read in the Arabian Book of Knowledge that "thoughts are Tartars,
vagabonds; imprison all thou canst not slay," and have seen fit to
follow this suggestion and the advice given a Turkish author--

"That none may dub thee tactless dund'rhead,
Confine thy pen to light chit-chat,
And rattle on as might a letter!
For ninety-nine of every hundred
Hate learning and what's more than that,
The hundredth man likes berresh better."

So I present to you, gentle or gallant reader, as the case may be, and
quite informally, John Cornwall.

He was born at 702 West Chestnut Street, Louisville, Kentucky, on the
12th day of May, 1872. His mother was a widow; and before the days of H.
C. L, the two lived comfortably on her income of $1,800.00 a year.

His boyhood was as that of other boys of the city; an era of happiness
and happiness has no history. He was considered a good boy as boys go;
and good boys have few adventures.

Although John never attended Sunday School except when his mother made
him--as she was a Presbyterian, he wore the honor pin for an unbroken
three-year attendance.

School to him was such a delight, that in a spirit of emulative
self-denial, he never started from home, a block away, until a minut