--- 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: 3 number: 8 published: 1900-06 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* 3, no. 8 (June 1900): 631.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera38unse 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: improvementera38unse start_page: 631 end_page: 631 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera38unse publication_year: 1900 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 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # In Lighter Mood IN LIGHTER MOOD. Mother: "Willie, did the grocer tell you these eggs were fresh?" Willie: "He didn't say, but he told me to hurry home with them." * * * In Russia teachers are none too well paid. At a scholastic meeting some one proposed the toast, "Long live our school teachers." "What on?" asked a cadaverous-looking specimen, rising in his seat. * * * Some of you who think you are well up in spelling just try to spell the words in this little sentence: "It is agreeable to witness the unparalleled ecstasy of two harassed peddlers endeavoring to gauge the symmetry of two peeled pears." Read it over to your friends, and see how many of them can spell every word correctly. The sentence contains many of the real puzzlers of the spelling-book. * * * It is told of ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes that, while attending school at Kenyon College, he was in the habit of taking daily walks into the country. These trips were shared by two intimate companions, who were of a fun-loving disposition, which frequently got them into trouble. On one occasion they more than met their match at repartee in an old farmer, whom they met on the highway. The long, white beard of the farmer gave him a patriarchal appearance, and while he was approaching the students, they arranged to give him a "jollying" which eventually terminated in the discomfiture of the youths. One of them doffed his hat with great reverence and respect as he said, "Good morning, Father Abraham!" The second saluted the old farmer and said, "Good morning, Father Isaac!" Mr. Hayes, not to be outdone in affability and politeness, extended his hand as he said,"Good morning, Father Jacob!" Ignoring the outstretched hand of Mr. Hayes, the old farmer replied, "Gentlemen, you are mistaken in the man. I am neither Abra- ham, Isaac nor Jacob, but Saul the son of Kish, who was sent out to seek his father's asses, and, lo! I have found them!"