The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-05
FLEETING FRIV0LITIES.
BITS OF FUN CIRCULATING
AMONG THE PAPERS.
Tended Strictly to Business-Had just
Heard Of Caesars Deatb-Laugbter That
SmIlea.

Smiles.
There were four pretty tough-l0okinl
characters sitting on a bench in Battery
Park the other day relating their adventures
10 each other. One had been in mutiny al
sea; "A second had BEEN terror TO a whole
country, and third ntimated that he had
once trained with a band Of pirates. The
fourth was lanky, long-faced man with a
sunken chest. and when the others had fin
shed he said:
"Gentlemen. why was run out OF Chica-
90? Because the papers called me a holy
terror and put the police force on to me.
You probably remember Of the five police
men who were found dead in bunch? |
had to do it,"
"Of course you did, they assented.
"Why did the Governor Of Kansas set a
price on my head $1,000 dead or alive
You probably saw in the papers that only
one man out of the thirteen in the shcrifs
posse returned alive? Didn't want to do it,
but had to-
''Certainly. Just our case" they replied.
I'd like TO 20 to st. Louis" he con-
tinued, but it wouldn't be prudent. You
probably saw the account OF my stealing a
steamboat and running her off,"
"Of course we saw" rel lied the three.
The lanky man was ready 10 relate
another chapter of his life, when a lame
woman with a few pears in "A basket came
along and said:
Come now. move along and give me a
bit Of the bench"
No one moved. They hardly realized her
presence. They were busy thinking what
desperate men they were.
and that's the kind Of gentillty We show
poor. lame woman, is it, exclaimed the
indignant female and, dropping her basket,
she seized them one after the other and
flung them into the middle of the path. AS
the last one went she sat down in the mid
die Of the bench, got brace for her feet,
and continued:
And now let's see the whole four of yez
trot me out of this"
They didn't try. IIumby, meekly, and
lamb-like they sauntered away 10 find an
other bench, totally ignoring the fact that
they were desperate men of decided viii
lainy.-New York sun.
Tended strictly to Business.
For cool selfpOssessiOn or a remarkable
display of Indifference in trying and eXcit-
wants to be, is hard to discount. The fact
was forcibly illustrated in an incident con-
nected with the recen. trial of the Chambers
case at IrOntOn. One Of the principal wit
nesses for the defense was Frank jenkins,
a negro and eyewitness of the tragedy.
Frank was whltewashing chicken coop
only few feet away when the shooting Oc-
CURED. ON the direct examination he told
his story in plain, straightforward way.
and his evidence was very material. The
prOpOunded the usual ques-
tons and made strenuous attempt TO
tangle the witness in giving his testimony.
Concerning the facts immediately prece-
ding and at the time of the shooting ques-
ton would be asked Frank 10 which he
would give a prompt reply, and then the
attorney would ask:
"What did you do them"
IL just went on whitewashing the chicken
COOP"
But when the defendant appeared with
the gun. and it appeared as if some one
was going 10 be hurt. what did You do
them"
81 kept on whtewashing the chicken
coop. IT was none of my business, and
where ! came from in Woodward county,
Ky, | long ago learned not TO interfere
with two white gentlemen engaged in set
Ting question Of honor. | turned up one
end of the coop and kept right en- with my
whitewashing.'
"When the shot was fired what did you
do?"
"kept right on whitewashing."
Did you do anything when they re-
moved the bOdy!'
YES: kept right on whitewashng."
The Judge smiled, the spectators Uttered,
and the whole courtroom appreciated this
display of disposition to attend
strictly to ones own afiairs.-St. Louis Re-
public.