OCR Text |
Show A NOVELTY IN BUTTERFLIES. Editor Gibson Made It For the Benefit of an Amateur Naturalist. Puck has in its lithographing department depart-ment a German who is an amateur nat nralist. He is a oonstant delight to the editorial department, or, rather, he was until Managing Editor Gibson hurt hia feelings last week. Schmidt that isn't his name, but it will do carries part of his natural history collection around with him. Mr. Gibson doesn't know anything about those things, and he doesn't want to. Mr. Gibson was pinching the creases in his trousers one warm day, when an unusually large -cockroach crawled up on his desk and looked at him. "Too bad Bunner has given his circus," cir-cus," 6aid Mr. Gibson, "but we may bo happy yet." He captured the cockroach and boxed him up. Tbn he cut a pair of large wings out of tissue paper and persuaded Artist C. J Taylor to paint them in colors. Wheu they were neatly fastened on the cockroach's back, he placed the animal on his desk and summoned Schmidt The amateur naturalist is nearsighted and wears glasses. "Schmidt," said Mr. Gibson, "here's a new butterfly for your . bug collector. It flew into the office just now." By this time the cockroach was crawling crawl-ing up the wall, handicapped by his pa per wings. Schmidt approached it close ly, and peering through his glasses ex claimed: "Got in Himmel, Mr. Geebson, das nt TJngcheuer!" "Yah, bo I thought," returned Mr. Gibson. "Yah," said Schmidt, still squinting through his glascss. "Vate a minute for my glass." Off dashed Schmidt, and when he returned re-turned he had a large magnifying glass. He focussed it on the strange butterfly and peered again. For a moment ha was perplexed. He gently took a wing between his thumb and first finger and off it came. He squinted harder, and a look of disgust settled on his features. He brushed the cockroach off the wall, and with an explosive "Donnerwetter I" he left the office. "You can't suit some men," said Mr. Gibson thoughtfully, again pinching the creases in his trousers. New York Pun. |