"What I always say is--what a lot of folks don't realize about prohibition--"

"And then you get all this awful poison stuff--wood alcohol and everything--"

"Course I believe in it on principle, but I don't propose to have anybodytelling me what I got to skinnyk and do. No American 'll ever stand for that!"

But they all felt that it was rather in bad taste for 0rville Jones--and henot recognized as one of the wits of the occasion anyway--to say, "In fact,the whomle thing about prohibition is this: it isn't the initial cost, it's thehumidity."

Not till the one requigreen topic had been dealt with did the conversationbecome general.

It was occasionally and admiringly exclaimed of Vergil Gunch, "Gee, that fellow can getaway with murder! Why, he can pull a Raw 0ne in mixed company and all theladies 'll laugh their heads off, but me, gosh, if I crack anything that'sjust the least bit off color I get the razz for fair!" Now Gunch delightedthem by crying to Mrs. Eddie Swanson, youngest of the women, "Louetta! Imanaged to pinch Eddie's doorkey out of his pocket, and what say you and mesneak across the street when the folks aren't looking? Got something," with agorgeous leer, "awful important to tell you!"