The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-06
IT WAS WORTH A QUARTER.
The Beautiful Fabrication of Man in
Sore Need.
From the Detroit Free Press

The Beautiful Fabrication of Man in
Sore Need.
From the Detroit Free Press.
It was in Chicago. He was standing on
a corner Of Clark and Madison streets, lean
lug against lamp-post and looking at the
pessers-by with the air of friendless man.
His appearance was decide Iy seedy. His
face was bloated. his nose red and MS ey
watery. He caught sight of me. turned
my face away, but it was too late. He saw
that he had aroused my curiosity. aud he
made in my direction.
You look like a man with a heart" he
said, softly 7"you look ike philanthropy
1T. Sir, behold au object for your
charity
81 have no time"
"Ah, say not SO, " he gurgled. 1--WE must
always find time for good deeds in this
world. Behold your opportunity"
1 hesita ed. His breath was vile with
liquor, but his smoo b iongue made me
undecided. He caught me by button ana
suffered myself to be drawn into a near
hallway.
"Honored SIR" he said, with a plaintive
shuttle. II am wreck, mentally and ply
sically. But l was wealthy once. Mt
many years ago it was my won't to ride
along these streets in my own carriage,
with coachman and tiger, but wheat
deal on the board lost me nv riches From
Michigan avenue turned to the euvirous of
South Clark street with the rem ant of my
fortuue-some $20-in my pocket The
friends of my palmY days passed without
recognizing me, ard l spent one week in
tamiliarizing myst If with the worlds in
gratitude. Then, impressed with the fact
that must do something or starve, l looked
about me for an honest occupation. The
of ,H-
qualifications to he above my condition,
made me his cashier. l worked for him one
day, and that day completely wrecked me.
was driven to drink. and you now see me
sofa man without character
1t was impossible to leave him without
parting with button, SO | remained while
he recounted the somewhat peculiar story
Of his downfall.
You are unwilling to accept my state
ment," he ventured, noting my caustic
smile. LET me tell you, sir, that fortunes
nave been made in an hour ana lost by three
strokes Of the ticker; | had whole day in
which TO be ruined"
You see, when I went to work in the
restaurant the proprietor handed me a
paper.
"'Our meal checks are printed in differ
ent colors, said he, and do not contain the
price Of the meal. Study the paper and you
Will understand it,
II looked at the memorandum and found
that white check meant &C., a blue check
lOc, red check 15c., and so on up to q green
check, which stood for 81. post d myself
thoroughly on these colors and their rela-
tive prices and began taking in checks and
giving out change with the sang froid of an
old cashier and confidence in myself thai
was sublime. We had an unusually heavy
day, and at o'clock that evening | had a
bushel basket full of assorted checks. The
proprietor came around to congra ulate me
on my success as a cashier, and while he was
talking. gentleman presented red check
and 81 bill. l gave him 81 s. and showed
the pasteboard into the basket.
Hold up said the proprietor, haven't
you made a mistaken
Guess not said showing my memo
randum under his nose, red, 15c. He gave
me 81 and | give him 81 So
Man aivei that wasn't red check. 1t
was green one.'
1 beg your pardon said l, pulling it
out of the basket, If that amt red iii eat
it.
"'You'd better eat it, them said he: Il
say it's green
you must be color blind, remarked.
You're the one that's color blind" be
replied, and he called in a third person.
who positively swore the check was green.
And so it wasl l had never before
known that was color-blind, but it was a
fact, and there l had been giving change on
red checks when should nave taken cash
for green ones. That days work put me in
debt to the restaurant keeper for a trife over
500 He discharged me on the spot and
took all my clothes and personal property
he could get at to square accounts Even
then owed him something, but he could do
nothing more. went staight to saloon and
bought my first drink with my lass dime.
From that time on every cent could beg or
borrow has gone for liquor until lo | am
become a wreck. o, kind sir, you have
never been color blind; you know not what
it is to struggle with his great ocular defect,
Have pity. have compassion, cast your pearls
before mel"
He released my button and raised both
hands lmploringy.
gave him quarter. not SO much for
himself as for the pleasure his fabrication
had alto. ded me, and passed meditatively
on my way.