MORE TRUTH THAN POETRY 
By James J. Montague 
What Were They Talking About? 
I sat on a bench in the shadowy park § 
As the twilight was slowly dissolving in dark, 
And listened a while with an envious sigh 
. J !o the low murmured talk of a couple near-by. 
From the trees overhead came the chirp of the birds 
That drowned, for* a moment, their half-whispered words, 
And then of a sudden the twittering ceased 
And I found they were talking of raisins and yeast. 
Raisins and yeast was the whole of their song, 
And the wretches discussed ’em the whole evening long 
I sat in a club, where a judge of the sort 
That wears a bald head and presides at a court, 
Was earnestly talking to some one I saw’ ) 
Was also a person who gave out the law. 
The confab grew 7 warm, the speeches grew loud, 
One judge was indignant; the other was cowed. 
1 fancied him caught in some serious fault 
Till X found they were talking of sugar and malt. 
Sugar and malt was the whole of their chat, 
And ’twas plain that they both had the subject down pat. 
I sat on the porch of a summer hotel 
While the sea lapped the beach with a low 7 moaning swell, 
And two dear old ladies upon a divan 
Were talking as elderly dowagers can. 
vEach over her knitting bowed down her white head 
And it wasn’t my fault that X heard what they said 
As they knitted and nibbled at peppermint drops, 
For the theme of discussion was syrup of hops. 
Syrup of hops was the whole of their talk* 
So I rose from my rocker and w T ent for a w r alk. 
C. A O /l / JL. 
Two years &go the youth who shouldered his rifle promised to bring his 
\sweetheart a German soldier . This year he promises to bring her a Maine 
guide . 
MERCIFUL. 
Before taking the teeth out of the league of nations, the Senate was 
thoughtful enough to give it gas. 
JUST THE SAME AS EVER. 
Every woman has the vote, but We*ll back the “lookers” to wield the 
political influence. * 
(Copyright, 1920, by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.) 
