The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-19
HOW HE KNEW HIM.
The Young Man with the Tall Slick Hat and
the Manuscript.

Burdette, in Brooklyn Eagle.
The young man wore a high silk hat when he
came into the car When he sat down he got up
again to put his high silk hat in the rack Then
he sat down. Then he got up and took his hat
out of the rack and brushed it. Then he SET it
on the seat beside him. Then he got up and put
1t in the rack. Then he sat down. Then he got
up and put his new, high, smooth silk hat on his
head Then he arose and put his new, tall, slick
silk hat in the rack, end on top toward the en-
CINE. Then he sat down. Then he got up and
turned his new, shiny silk hat over, as though it
was done on the other side. Then he sat down.
Then his new. high smooth silk hat bounced out
on the floor Then he picked it up and brushed
it with his handkerchief; the wrong way at first,
of course. Then he spread a newspaper on the
floor ard stood the new high hat thereon. Then
the new, stiff, high, shiny smooth silk hat was
settled for the trip
Then the conductor came along and the new
high glossy silk hat had driven from the young
mans mind ali knowledge of the location Of his
ticket He knew where his new shiny silk hat
was, but his ticket --l He turned all his
pockets inside out and then began to take of his
things until the conductor had to tell him this
wasn't a sleeping car. Then the conductor said,
sOh pshaw Y as some very wicked conductors
will say, aud reaching his hand into the young
mans pocket, he drew forth the ticket in one
time and two motions.
You didn't give me check" the young man
said as the busy conductor passed on
You're right, didn't replied the cruel man"
II might want to see it again some time. I'll
remember you
Then the young man said othe passing brake
man.
How far are we from Ames9"
sNinety-eight miles,
''WheE do we get theref
"Four forty-fve"
Then the young man sighed He opened his
valise and took out roll of manuscript and tried
to read. Then he took out book and tried to
read that Then he took out tablet and pencil
and tried to write, but he hadn't got there yet
Then the new tall shiny slick silk hat caught his
eye he picked it up looked at the rack, and sit
it down again, on the other end this time Then
he said to the conductor who was coming back:
How far is it to Amesf
About ninety-fve miles"
when do we get therel"
-Four forty-fve.n
The young man went down in his boots and
fetched up sigh they might have heard all
along the line of the Chicago& & Northwestern
He opened up his case of manuscript again and
took pull at eight or ten pages of it, but he
didn't seem to like it He tried the book a while
and then with sudden start turned to his new
high slick silk hat There was about a pint Of
cinders in it. He closed the window, emptied
his hat and put it down on the paper again.
'left in front"
So the miles flew away Every time the whis-
tie blew he asked somebody if that was Ames,
Every fifteen minutes he asked how far it was to
Ames and when we got there. When we were
only about an hour and twenty five miles away
he began to pack things back INTO hisvalise. He
made critical examination of lot of white ties
and some of the newest collars and cuffs ever
saw in all my life. He finally locked the valise
and sat still Suddenly he started as though he
had been shot, and went into that valise and
hauled out his manuscript, found certain pages
ana read them over. Then he brushed his new
high slick silk hat and put it on, tail gate for
ward. Then he turned it around and put on his
gloves. He looked at his watch. He sighed
several times. About seven or eight times
minute, think When, at last the long whistle
blew for Ames, he gathered his vaise and stood
up. half a mile from the narrow gauge crossing.
Then said to him:
For what association do you lecture in Ames
to-nightF
He looked SO proud and happy, blushing to his
ears. that was pleased with myself
For the Y nj. 9. A." he said. 'tHow did
you know it, Who told you was a leeturerqn
s'You did / said. You told me all about it,
And he was so amazed he forgot where he was
and would have been carried by if the COM
mittee hadn't como aboard to look for him.