Two in Trouble

Meeting a fat and patriotic statesman on his way to Washington to beseech the President for an office, an idle tramp accosted him and begged for twenty-five cents to buy a suit of clothes.

"Melancholy wreck," said the statesman, "what brought you to this state of degradation? Liquor, I suppose."

"I am temperate to the verge of absurdity," replied the tramp. "My foible was patriotism; I was ruined by the baneful habit of trying to serve my country. What ruined you?"

"Indolence."