The Rock Island Argus., 1883-03-30
A Car Porter's Comp aint,
From the Philadelphia Times

1t was porter on the Pennsylvania
| Railway who spoke Careless people
| who travel about losing their purses,
| jewelry and bundles are curiously. un-
grateful to those careful people who find
and return their property. This is the
general rule, to which, of course, there
are exceptions. There are thousands OF
people running at large today who are no
| better than. overgrown children in the
| care of their belongings. As children,
| they carelessly lose their toys, as they
grow up the pinafores and short Jackets
are laid aside, but not their negligence.
They go through life leaving trail of
lost things behind them to mark their
erratic careers. These lost things either
fall into the hands of the thrifty souls
who pick them UP and keep them, or of
innocent but honest creatures who chase
after the anticipates, wake them up and
restore their property. When thus over
taken and suddenly awakened from their
day-dreams, some of these needless cret-
ures receive their goods with scant court,
esy, seeming more vexed at the exposure
of their stupidity than they would have
been at the loss of the article How for
tunate for careless folks that their heads
are securely fastened to their bodiesl
day aud leave them, entirely oblivious TO
the fact Perhaps this would be very
little loss, as they make such scant use of
the wits supposed by courtesy to be To-
Gated in their head pieces.
why only last week." continued the
porter, 'a,iady coming through from
Baltimore 10 Philadelphia, lost an ear
drop in the car. 1t was found by .
brakeman and taken to the office. The
next day an advertisement appeared off
ering liberal reward The brakeman
took the article to the designated number
rang the BELL was admitted. restored the
lost gem, and was overwhelmed with
piofuse thanks by the lady owner She
then phateically stated that her husbands
business had not been very good during
the past year, and handed the man 80.
The gem restored cost not less than $500.
The man looked at the note, and reflect
ing that it was much better than nothing.
made his bow and retired. OH these
careless people are in danger of dyin g of
enlargement of the heart, j can tell
you.
pocket-book on the floor of the car. 1t
was bursting with wealth. In the seat
just in front lay "a man sound asleep,
with his overcoat thrown over the back
of the seat. Thinking he might be the
owner, but wishing to be sure, eau
tiously woke him. Had he lost any
thing7' Noe, he snortcd. I asked him
to examine his pockets, He began to go
through himself and again said that he
had lost nothing. Then he prepared to
go to sleep again. Still not satisfied, I
asked him to look in his oyercoat. He
did SO and suddenly announced that lie
had lost his pocket book, with 81, 500 in
it, besides many valuable papers It had
slipped out of the pocket of the coat.
carelessly- thrown over the back of the
seat. The man described his properly
accurately, and restored it to him
What do you suppose he gave me in re-
turn2 Give it up? Well. he thanked
me in the most elegant English, never
put up blessed cent. turned over and
his nap. Honesty is the best
policy, but it sometimes makes id
fool OF man. There's my signal.
nd-hy."