Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-03-28
A CLEVER TRICK.
How The Benevolsntiy Disposed
Were Imposed Upon. .@t -

The New York Graphic relates an in
ciaeut ora Hunters Point ferryboat.
which is an Illustration of shocking de-
pravity, as well rs Of the ease with
which benevolent people arc gulled.
The boat met the business mems train ;
OH the Long Island Railroad. and car
ried a big load of men to New York.
One of the passengers was chunky
man in tweed suit. He is an eminent
Wall street operator, and lives in q win
ter palace at Babylon. Yet it was not
more than five years ago that he was on
the Brooklyn detective force. The
ferry boat had cIunctred its way through
the ice TO the middle of the river. The
silence of the big, barn-like upper cabin
was broken only by the rustling of
newspapers, when young girl appear
ed at the top of the staircase. Large
blue eyes lighted her wax face, and
mass of golden hair rippled tver the
faded shawl on her back. She looked
around timidly and shivered slightly.
Then she glided beside steam radi;.-
tor in the center of the cabin and began
to sing. The words were those of the
old hymn, "Jesus, Lover of my Soul"
Says the Graphic: ......
She sang softly but clearly, with
touching pathos. AS the first sweet
note broke the stiffness every man in
the cabin looked up. While the beauti-
full hymn proceeded there was profound
silence. When the young girls voice
faltered on the third line, and her great
violet eyes were sutfused, several cheese
men gulped violently. When the prayer
of the last line ended a curbstone broker
furtively wiped his eyes. The dull gray
air of the bleak morning gave to the
singers face sickly grayish shadow,
and the whole cabin watched her
breathlessly as she began the second
verse. .a-f q
Atthat moment a large, handsome,
man, wearing a ajangling bunch of seals
at his fob, slipped quietly down stairs
and told Q deck hand, with considerable,
indignation. that a street-singer was
disturbing the npIcr cabin. 1he deck
hand dropped broom and scowlcd
dsrkIy. Then he followed tie large
mans shining beaver up stairs. The
young girl had Just reached the closing
lines and she sang with a treDulous,
appealing sob: . ..
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow Of thy wing.
The cabin was deeply moved, and a
well known petroleum operator of New
street sighed sudibly. At this moment
the deck-hand pushed past the large
man in his new silk hat and grabbed
the young woman by the should.
"Come," said he, "get out O. here, an
if ye try it again I'll give yer to cop
The young girl shuddered. Then she
looked about her despairingly and burst
out crying. She was very pretty, as she
crouched under the deck.hand's gasp,
Half the men in the cabin jumped up
Indignantly.
"Let her alcnel Throw him over.
board / Snamel Hands OFF you
scoundrelp came in confused, angry
chorus. and half dozen actually ad-
yauced toward tbe deck-hand. He look
ed around with an air of defence, grip
ped the girl more closely, and glanced
over at the plJinanti for support.
The large man come forward. His
iandsome. ,nottled face was flushed,
and the siIverin his pocket jiDgled as
be walked. The rest fill back respect.
iully, for the large man might have
beer the President of rich corpora.
| ton.
Release the girl r said he with au.
thority to the dsck-hand, who doubtful]y