Two old-time darkies were engaged in a discussion of death and its mysteries when Uncle Mose said:

"Reuben, does you b'lieve dat whin a pusson dies he kin turn into a dorg er a chicken?"

"Well, I dunno," answered Reuben, "ef you had yo' way whin you dies, would you turn to a chicken?"

"Dat depend altogedder."

"Altogedder on what?"

"On whedder er not you lived in de nearabouts."

IS AND HAS BEEN

An Englishman went into a restaurant in a New England town and was served for his first course with a delicacy unknown to him. So he asked the waiter what it was and the waiter replied:

"It's bean soup, sir."

Upon this the Englishman rejoined in high dudgeon, "I don't care what it's been, I want to know what it is."