The Old Man and the Pupil


  A BEAUTIFUL Old Man, meeting a Sunday-school Pupil, laid his hand 
tenderly upon the lad's head, saying: "Listen, my son, to the words 
of the wise and heed the advice of the righteous."

  "All right," said the Sunday-school Pupil; "go ahead."

  "Oh, I haven't anything to do with it myself," said the Beautiful 
Old Man.  "I am only observing one of the customs of the age.  I am 
a pirate."

  And when he had taken his hand from the lad's head, the latter 
observed that his hair was full of clotted blood.  Then the 
Beautiful Old Man went his way, instructing other youth.