The morning call., 1892-11-10
AN OPTICAL DELUSION.

collect "for their own good" and the young
ladies that Will stop to kiss each other on
the platform and the old ladies that are
afraid to get off. and the boys that hitch be-
hind ard the old gents that are going to
write to the papers, and the folks that want
twenty dollar bills changed, and the folks
you run over and the wagons that run into
you, tell you bobtail-car driver gets saw
age after awhile and don't feel like foolin'.
was savage that day. There were
two folks in the cara man and woman
and only one fare in the box. I'd rung
and I'd shouted. but neither Of them at
tended TO me. l laid the missing fare to
The man, because of his looks. He was
about as poverty stricken as L ever saw.
Not your Iaboring mans poverty. A
lab9rer out Of work never looks ike that.
Il was a tramp's rags that fellow wore,
and he had the hands OF tramp, Too.
Under their dirt, a tTamp's hands are like
the hands of a fine gentleman - same
reason, he don't work. This mans hands
were clean, and his face wasn't bad; but
ii was more likely he was trying to beat
me out of 5 cents than the lady was.
And il be was a tramp he had money
enough about him-they always have
and after I'd done my best from outside
| stopped the ear and went TO attend HIM.
The minute | got in 1 saw-what seemed TO
me sort OF queer badn nollced before
the lady was Sister Of Charity. She wore
black bonnet and veil. and white thing
under it around her forehead and under
her chin. Her hands were crossed in her
lap She was as holy and pure to look at
as if she'd been an angel. looked at her
and then said to the man:
Il want your fare!'
lie looked at me-hungry eyes he had
ana says he:
Il paid cents into your box. Isn't that
right, driveT?'
'All right. if you did it," said l.
Then | went down toward the lady. 1t
was my duty. but l found it hard 10 do. /
stood before her. feeling as queer as ever [
did IN my iife and all | could say was:
MADAM, shall l take your fare?"
She did not answer me, but pointed to
paper somebody had left upon the seat-a
common newspaper.
"Give Ii to HIM, seemed TO see her say
with her lips-and by him" | saw she
meant the tramp.
Now, a paper left in the car belonged to
me, and I'm a man with a temper, and at
my wages the price OF a paper was some
thing; 50 what do you think then, of my
going and handing that paper over 10 the
tramp, meek as Moses?
Here" says !. poking il toward him.
at isn't mine, says be.
But my eyes were on the sister all the
while.
The lady says you must take it" says /.
Now. she hadn't said anything She had
only lifted her hand.
What lady?" says the man. taking the
paper.
1.-The sister there," says L
Then all of a sudden, while I looked at
her, the seat the lady had been sitting on
was emptyl She hadn't get upon her feet
OF moved. She just wasn't there any more.
got out to my horses again as quick as l
could. Men do go out OF their heads from
overw0rk. I'm told, and began to think |
was going out of mine. | did not dare to
look into the car until the man inside pulled
back the slide and spoke:
nj
dence." he says.
What for?' | says.
'NO harm, says he.
"Do you mean TO try to get me into
trouble?" asked, knowing that there were
spoilers about, and making up my mind
that this was one in disguise. az tried nv
best to get that lady's fare, but could not
be hard on sister"
II saw no lady. What do I care about
ia fares? II you T.! glys me your name you wont
He spoke like gentleman, for all his
clothes
''0h. well. I'm not ashamed of my name
it's Jim Brown. This car is No. -, and IL
you want me you can fnd me-"
''Al right he said, and l saw that he
had folded the paper square and was fast
ening 1t up In his coat, pinning it with a
black-he pin.
At the next corner he got off
That night went 10 DR.. -. az kind a
man as ever lived. | knew he wouldn't
charge me for an opinion. | told my story.
Now. Doctor" l said. 'if l am looney,
out with itp'
mo, DO, JimP' said be; "yery sane men
have optical illusions now and then"
Il don't want any more of 'em," said /
Collecting fares of optical illusions don't
pay"
II should say not" said the doctor. "Rnt
my opinion IS that you turned your back
minute and that the woman got off without
paying her fare. Probably she was not a
real Sister of Charity. The city is full of
frauds. She made you take the paper to the
man to give herself a chance. See, now"
/ didn't see; but what can you do when
folks are so sensible they can't believe
anything?
"Twasn't like that-there she was and
there. she wasn't" said /. That's how 1t
was"
IF 1t happens again, come to me and Pn
write you a prescription and make you
present of il" said the doctor.
so thanked him kindly and went awav.
and 1t didn't happen again. Weeks went
along. and it was winter and as cold as
cod as Greenland, and passengers mere
bothersome than l ever knew 'em, when
one day, standing in the stables, talking to
Mike Gallagher. the old fellow that watered
the horses and always had a Joke for every
body. heard my name called.
You're wanted. JIM" said some one,
ana went out IN TO the street, and the man
that had called me pointed to gentleman
ABOUT as me looking ono as ever knew
and ne, the gentleman. walked up to me,
IT'S your dinner time, isn't it?" said he.
left" - ~ 40" N'iiu'es
Come along. them" said he. He walked
me lnt9 mo .i restaurant close by the stables.
anu sald, CalI Tor what you want" and /
named 1t. Then said he. you don't
remember me. Jim BROWNE"
mo, sir" said l.
GU gave me paper about six months
ago. sald ne. "A newspaper. l asked your
ION, ohv'' said 1. mo, sir, didn't know
you -, J begin to see the likeness, but you
II know" said he. 81 was pretty well
down on my luck, then. See here'-he nm
Duttoned his coat sealskin, bless you, and
took out OF the breastpocket a newspaper
leaq Ihat' ne said. pointing to where it
read 1t. This is what II said.
III Ferdinand Melrose will return home
All All, VIII be forgiven by his dying father"
anu s.1 aIter that where he was TO fnonire for
InTLher particulars" ''
a.. Wen: l am Ferdinand Melrose." saws
sue Senteman. 1.-THE black sheen of nv
family. Long ago my stenmnt6ppr u my
mIschleI between my father and mu.aIf
lie rbade me his house, and rathar ser;
20 sne osd. NO matter for my story Re-
sues the iare you inquired about had onGu
pottie oil laudunum in nv pockat onIy
going 10 the Central Park to tako ~
shoulu nave slept myself out of life ia.
eternity and the city would have sean 70 nv, Nv.
funeral II you had not given me that panap y
went to the place mentioned and fonnd
as expected, that money had been left in q
lawyers hands to take me home, When !
got there found that nv stenmotbor ~.
peen dead three years and that INV father
mao Deen attacked by a disease that mns,
De fatal We were reconciIed and when he
died found myself a rich man. had kent
Jim Browns address, and feel that n 30
him something" 0"'
Nothing at ALL" says L "The LADY,
the sister-told me TO give 1t to you"
s'What lady ?" said he