--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 2 number: 7 published: 1899-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "In Lighter Mood," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 7 (May 1899): 552.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera27unse start_page: 552 end_page: 552 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse publication_year: 1899 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # In Lighter Mood IN LIGHTER MOOD. An Arkansas editor says that the stingiest man in his town talks through his nose to save the wear and tear on his false teeth. * * * "James, do you love your sister?" "Yes, sir." "Well, show me how you love her." The boy stood still, not knowing what to do. "James, how do I express my love for your mother?" "Oh, you give her some bank-notes, but I ain't got any." * * A respectable tradesman, who has a habit of opening his shop every morning about eleven o'clock, was surprised on arriving at his place of business, one day, to see a paper posted on his door bearing the following legend: "Not dead, but sleeping." * * * An old Irish soldier, who prided himself upon his bravery, said he had fought in the battle of Bull Run. When asked if he had retreated and made good his escape, as others did on that famous occasion, he replied: "Those who didn't run are there yit." Yes, she visited the country, and considered herself superior to ignorant, common farmers. She was learned in botany, and, with lofty airs, told Farmer D she knew every plant that grew.The farmer coming from the field one day, plucked a cluster of blossoms and carried them to the house. "Do you know these blossoms?" he asked of her. "Oh, yes, of course I do," she replied. "They are very rare; and so beautiful —too sweet for anything. I am perfectly familiar with these flowers; I know all about plants; these grow on trees in the woods." "What is their name?" asked Farmed D , with a sly wink at his wife, who stood by, choking with laughter. "Why —really— can't I recall their botanical name just now; but I suppose you have some vulgar name for them." "Well," replied Farmer D , "we ignorant farmers call them potato blossoms." "You horrid thing!" cried she, spitefully, "to bring me such a mean old weed!" She cut short her visit and returned to town.