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Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936

"Under the Deodars"

M. P.


Under the Deodars
The Education of Otis Yeere
I
In the pleasant orchard-closes
'God bless all our gains,' say we;
But 'May God bless all our losses,'
Better suits with our degree.
The Lost Bower.
This is the history of a failure; but the woman who failed said that
it might be an instructive tale to put into print for the benefit of the
younger generation. The younger generation does not want
instruction, being perfectly willing to instruct if any one will listen
to it. None the less, here begins the story where every right-minded
story should begin, that is to say at Simla, where all things begin
and many come to an evil end.
The mistake was due to a very clever woman making a blunder
and not retrieving it. Men are licensed to stumble, but a clever
woman's mistake is outside the regular course of Nature and
Providence; since all good people know that a woman is the only
infallible thing in this world, except Government Paper of the '79
issue, bearing interest at four and a half per cent. Yet, we have to
remember that six consecutive days of rehearsing the leading part
of The Fallen Angel, at the New Gaiety Theatre where the plaster
is not yet properly dry, might have brought about an unhingement
of spirits which, again, might have led to eccentricities.
Mrs. Hauksbee came to 'The Foundry' to tiffin with Mrs.


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