--- 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: 9 number: 10 published: 1906-08 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* 9, no. 10 (August 1906): 819.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0910unse 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: improvementera0910unse start_page: 819 end_page: 819 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1906-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0910unse publication_year: 1906 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 1906, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # In Lighter Mood LIGHTER MOOD. "See here, you!" cried the cranky diner, who had been making numerous complaints; "no matter what I say to you it doesn't seem to stir you up at all." "No, sah," replied the waiter? "De boss tell me wheneber a gem'man talk laik dat jes' to humor him."—Philadelphia Press. The wife of a wealthy Irish contractor of Kansas City, who was traveling abroad, was ever watchful lest her speech betray her Celtic origin. On one occasion, she was heard to say that while she had visited Vesuvius, it was her regret that she had not seen the "creature." Mark Twain says that in his earlier days he did not enjoy the exceptional prosperity which came later in his career. It is commonly the lot of genius to suffer neglect at first and the experience did not affect his abiding good nature. In a conversation with William Dean Howells on one occasion the subject of literature vicissitudes was broached by the humorist. "My difficulties taught me some thrift," he observed. "But I never knew whether it was wiser to spend my last nickel for a cigar to smoke or for an apple to devour." "I am astounded," observed Mr. Howell, "that a person of so little decision should meet with so much worldly success." Mark Twain nodded gravely. ' 'Indecision about spending money,'' he said ' 'is worthy of cultivation. When couldn't decide what to buy with my last nickel I kept it, and so became rich." Two young gentlemen met a few evenings ago, at the house of an acquaintance, some young ladies, for one of whom both gentlemen entertained tender feelings. In a spirit of frolic one of the young ladies turned out the lights, and our two friends, thinking it a favorable moment to make known the state of their feelings to the fair object of their regard, moved seats at the same instant, and placed themselves, as they supposed, by the lady's side, but she had also moved, and the gentlemen were in reality next each other. As our friends could not whisper without betraying their whereabouts, they both gently took the soft little hand of the charmer, and when, after a while, they ventured to give a tender pressure, each was enraptured to find it returned with an unmistakable squeeze. It may well be imagined that the moments flew rapidly in this silent interchange of mutual affection. But the rest, wondering at the unusual silence of the gentlemen, one of them noiselessly slipped out and suddenly returned with a light. There sat our friends, most lovingly squeezing each other's hands and supreme delight beaming in their eyes. Their consternation and the ecstasy of the ladies may be imagined, but not described. Both gentlemen bolted, and one was afterwards heard to say, that he "thought all the while Miss Black's hand felt rather hard."—Tit-Bits.