---
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: 11
published: 1900-09
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. 11 (September 1900): 869.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera311unse
  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: improvementera311unse
start_page: 869
end_page: 869
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-09)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera311unse
  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

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IN LIGHTER MOOD. One of the principal Chinese temples boasts of an idol which is said to strike dead every liar appearing before it. Its visits from native officials are, no doubt, like the visits of angels to earth, few and far between, remarks the Denver Post. The following conversation develops a new domestic incumbrance: Census enumerator: "Do you own your home?" Lady of the house: "Yes, sir," Census enumerator: "Is there any incumbrance on it?" Lady: "None— excepting my husband." * * * Teacher (to new pupil): "What is your last name, my little man?" New Pupil: "Tommy." "What is your full name?" "Tommy Tomkins." "Then Tomkins is your last name." "No, it isn't. When I was born my name was Tomkins, and they didn't give me the other one for a month afterward." * * * A card-sharper who had evidently been doing the races joined a small group of farm servants in a public-house. Failing to interest the company in the mysteries of three-card monte, he exclaimed in desperation: "Well, look here, gents; I'll bet any one of you five shillings I can cut the ace of spades, any of you to shuffle and arrange a deck of cards as you like," at the same time producing the pack, which he pushed toward a colored victim, who agreed to accept the wager, took up the pack, shuffled them, and then placed them on the table. The sharper then took his knife and cut his pack clean through, at the same time saying: "There! I've cut the ace." "Naw you hain't neither," quietly said the darkey, grinning. "The ace o' spades is up my sleeve — see?"