Bismarck weekly tribune., 1886-01-29
THOUGHT HE HAD EN-
THE VISION WHICH TERRIFIED AN
ALL NIGHT MAN.
The Stout Man with Fly in His Eye
The Slender Man Who Thought Ho
Felt the "Jim-Jams"-
Explained.

Felt the Slim -Jams''-
Explained.
$g5gi New York Times.l & III
Atabout 80 a. m. tall, slender man came
out through the green baizs doors of q we'll
known place Of resort up Broadway, and
leaned agains. the side Of the building re-
fiectively gazing into vacancy. His eyes
were rather sunken, and they had that
gloss, look which indicates a long continued
endeavor to put down the liquor interest by
means of monopolizing the consumption Of
intoxicants His skin had a bluish-gray
shade, and its surface was quite shiny with
the traces Of an all-night sitting. The tall,
slender man shifted frequently from one
foot to the other, and played with his watch
chain in manner that indicated extreme
nervousness Presently there came in sight
on the block short thick-set and we'll
dressed gentleman, whose eyes beamed
pleasantly through pair of large specta-
cles he appeared like a prosperous COM
mercial citizen walking down to business
As he approached the tall slender man he
fixed his eye upon that person with the gazs
of recognition. Then he stopped and held
out his hand with cheerful 3good morn
ing"
COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION.
The tall slender man looked at him
vacantly for moment, shook hands in a
limp, disinterested way, and then began to
call his acquaintance slowly back to mem.
ory. They had apparently met once or
twice previously, though they were not ex-
actly on intimate terms. The short man in
good clothes and humor was invited in to
indulge in morning cocktail, declined, was
urged. declined again, was urged once more,
and accepted. As the two acqnaintances
stood leaning upon the bar watt
ing upon the movements of the
airy young gentleman in white who
condescended for the moment to
execute their order, it came out that the
tall, slender man had been playing poker
all night, and felt rather shaky in conse
quence. 1t would be impossible for him to go
home and secure an hours sleep, for the
reason that he was obliged to be in his office
by 10 o'clock. Consequently his system had
to be braced up with morning appetizers.
The two gentlemen consumed their cock
tails and continued their con versation
Suddenly the tall, slender man, whose
fingers had perceptibly trembled as he
lifted his glass to his lips, began to look
steadily and with a growing look of agi-
tated fascination at the left eye of his com.
panion. He tried to speak, but stammered
somewhat painfully, and then with great
effort he smiled in rather sicklv and
agonized fashion. His lips moved, but no
sound came out of them as his gaze con-
tinued to be riveted upon the single point in
the short, stout mans countenance where it
had first been arrested. Behind the large
round spectacles Of the serene little business
man, fat brown fly was crawling up in a
leisurely and ruminative fashion across the
eyelid, over the ball Of the wide open eye,
and upward to the forehead The tall.
slender man gasped and cleared his throat.
but made no sound. Not tremor had
passed over the eyelids of the Short stout
man. and he was apparently entirely un-
conscious of the fy's parade. That deliber-
ate insect having reached a point half way
up bis brow. calmly turned and started to
retrace its footsteps. On the face of the
tall, slender observer the expression of as.
tonishment had changed to q look of set
tied horror. He passed his hand across his
own eyes as if to dispel some awful vision,
but ne could not keep his gaze away from
the movements of the fat brown fly.
A CASE OF COMING ''JIM-JAMs."
The notice of the airy young gentleman
behind the bar had by this time been at
tracted to the singular proceedings here de-
scribed. Following the look of the tall,
slender man. he, too, seemed deeply sur
pr1sed by what he saw. The short, stout
gentleman was looking straight ahead of
him at his excited companion, and the ex-
preston of his face indicated that he was
considerably concerned regarding what ap-
peared very like that PERSONS mental un-
balancing. Meanwhile the fly was proceed
ing with the utmost apparent Indifference
upon his downward walk. He crossed the
upper eyelid, strolled sedately out to the
center of the eyeball, and paused. The
tall slender man gave utterance to hoarse
gurgle, and then turned Quickly upon his
heel and fled wildly from the room. As the
green baize doors slammed behind his re-.
treating form he left the short, stout gentle
man looking after him in great amazement,
and the airy young person behind the bar
giarlng hxsdly into the eye of his solitary
customer,
what on earth can be the matter with
hlma" murmured the short, stout gentle
man.
"Matter enough, should say" responded
the young gentleman thus addressed.
"Can it be the del-T continued the ques-
honer, in affable interest.
1T IS either that or very good imita-
oAoA VI 1" AAoA, AoduAuS over G0e DaT, the
airy young psrson continued in a confiden-
tial tone @lf he hasn't got the jim-jams,
and If haven't got 'em too perhaps you
can explain to me how it is that a fly has
been rambling around for the past five min.
utes on your left eye."
Goodness mep exclaimed the short. stout
gentleman, tearing off his spectacles with a
gesture which caused the sudden departure
of the insect "That is my glass eye, and I
hadn't tho faintest notion-dear me, dear
me-"
The airy young person behind the bar
heaved a long sigh Of relief, and the short
stout man walked slowly out
A Very Bad Practice.
Hartford Post.]
She had just dropped in for a morning
call on her way downtown. ~Do you know.
Cicely, DEAR said she, athat it is awfullv
warm; but suppose I must wear this fur.
trimmed dolman anyhow" "Oh, I didn't
notice you had it on. Is it the same one
you had last yearT &No, it isn't, I'd have
Won knnv Ito hvo NJ ,,ar, ~~A 49,.