Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-10-08
AN UNFORTUNATE MAN.
AIlserably Ruined by COIOr-BIIndness and
bad Chicago whisky.

Mlserably Ruined by COIOr-BIIndness and
bad Chicago whisky.
1t was in Chicago He was standing
on a corner of Clark and Madison streets,
leaning against lamp-post and looking
ut the passers-by with the air of q
friendless man. His appearance was
decidedly seedy. His face was bloated,
his nose red and his eyes watery. He
caught sight of me. / turned my face
away, but it was too late. He saw that
he had aroused my curiosity and he
made in my direction.
You look like a man with a heart"
he said, softly; you look like philan-
thropist. Sir, behold an object for your
charity"
~ have no time"
Gay, say not So" he gurgied; I'VE
must always find time for good deeds in
this world. Behold your opportunity
j hesitated. His breath was vile with
liquor but his smooth tongue made me
undecided. He caught me by button
and suffered myself to be drawn into a
near hallway.
'lIonored SIR" he said, with plant
i've shuttle, II am a wreck, mentally and
4
Not many years ago 1T was my won't to
ride along these streets in nay own
carriage with coachman and a tiger,
but q wheat deal on the board lost me
my riches From Michigan avenue
turned TO the environs of South
Clark street with the remnant of
my fortune-some twenty dollars-in
my pocket. The friends of my palmy
days passed without recognizing me,
and / spent one week in familiarizing
myself with thek worlds ingratitude.
Then, impressed with the fact that l
must do something or starve, looked
about me for an honest occupation.
The proprietor Of restaurant, obserV-
ing my qualifications to be above my
condition, made me his cashier. l
worked for him one day, and that day
completely wrecked me. l was driven
to drink and you now see me a sofa
man without a character"
1t was impossible to leave him with
out parting with a button, so l re-
NAMED while he recounted the some
what peculiar story of his downfall.
you are unwilling to accept my
statement" he ventured, noting my
caustic smile LET me tell you. sir,
that fortunes have been made in an
hour and lost by three strokes of the
tickerj had whole day in which to
be ruined.
"You see, when went to work in the
restaurant the proprietor handed me p
paper. Our meal checks are printed in
different colors,' said he, and do not
contain the price of the meal Study
the paper and you will understand it.
~ looked at the memorandum and
found that a white cheek meant FIVE
cents, blue. check ten. a red check
fifteen, and so on up to a green check,
which stood for 81. / posted myself
thoroughly on these colors and their
relative prices and began taking in
checks and giving out change with the
sang froid of an old cashier and conf
dence in myself that was sublime. We
had an unusually heavy day, and ut
nine O'Clock the proprietor came around
to congratulate me on my success as a
cashier, and, while he was talking, a
gentleman presented a red check and a
So bill gave him ST. IS and showed the
pasteboard into the basket
Hold up said the proprietor,
haven't you made a mistaken
"'Guess not said l, showing my
memorandum under his nose; red, fif-
teen. He gave me SO and gave him
S1.S5'
"'Man alive! that wasn't red check.
1T was green one.
"I beg your pardon, said l, pulling
1T out of the basket; If that amt red I'll
eat it.
YOU'D better eat it, them said he;
4 say it's green
"'You must be color-blind,' 1 re-
marked.
You're the one that's color-blind,
he replied, and he called in a third per.
son who positively swore the check was
green.
And so it was! l had never before
known that was color-blihd. but it was
a fact; and there l had been giving
change on red checks when / should
have taken cash for green ones. That
days work put me in debt to the res
taurant keeper for tride over 800
lie discharged me on the spot and tool
all my clothes and personal property h'
could get at to balance accounts. Ever
then ! owed him something, but hi
could do nothing more and l wen
straight to a saloon and bought my frs
drink with my last dime. From tina
time on every cent could beg or Dor
row has gone for liquor until lol ! an
become wreck. o, kind sirl you hav,
mover been color-blMd, you know no
what it is to struggle with this grea
ocular defect Have pity, have com
passion, cast your pearls before me-"
He released my button and raised
both hands tmploringly.
gave him quarter, not so much 70
himself as for the pleasure his fabrica
ton had afforded me, and passed med
itatively on my way. - Detroit Free
Press.