TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have beencorrected after careful comparison with other occurrences withinthe text and consultation of external sources.
All misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage,have been retained.
Books by Margaret Deland.
THE OLD GARDEN, AND OTHER VERSES.
Enlarged Edition. 16mo, gilt top, $1.25.
THE OLD GARDEN, AND OTHER VERSES.
Holiday Edition. Illustrated in color byWalter Crane. Crown 8vo, $4.00.
JOHN WARD, PREACHER. A Novel. 16mo,$1.25; paper, 50 cents.
SIDNEY. A Novel. 16mo, $1.25; paper, 50 cts.
THE STORY OF A CHILD. 16mo, $1.00.
MR. TOMMY DOVE, AND OTHER STORIES.16mo, $1.00.
PHILIP AND HIS WIFE. A Novel. 16mo,$1.25.
THE WISDOM OF FOOLS. Stories. 16mo,$1.25.
HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO.
Boston and New York.
THE WISDOM OF FOOLS
BY
MARGARET DELAND
BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY
MDCCCXCVII
COPYRIGHT, 1897,
BY MARGARET DELAND
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS, ’TIS FOLLY TO BE WISE | 3 |
| THE HOUSE OF RIMMON | 66 |
| COUNTING THE COST | 136 |
| THE LAW, OR THE GOSPEL? | 191 |
THE WISDOM OF FOOLS
WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS’TIS FOLLY TO BE WISE
I
THE most delightful thing aboutour engagement is that everybodyis so pleased with it.”Amy Townsend said this, smiling downat her lover, who, full length on the grassbeside her, leaned on his elbow, watchingher soft hair blowing across her forehead,and the color of the sun flickering throughthe shadows, hot on her cheek; for shehad closed her fluffy white parasol andtaken off her hat here under an oak-treeon the grassy bank of the river.
“I should have thought that the factthat we were pleased ourselves was a triflemore important,” he suggested. But MissTownsend paid no attention to his interruption.
“You know, generally, when peopleget engaged, there are always people w