The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-12-17
AN OPTICAL DELUSION.

AZ" ShiAic0hinA. OOtil No NO.
I'm not. Pm not one to fool; I drove
a bobtail car too long forthat! What
with the greenies that put their fares
into the kerosene lamp box, and the
crooks that try to get off without
paying at all, and the old gents with
principles that make the driver come
in and collect ''for their own good"
and the young ladies that will stop to
kiss each other OH the platform and
the old ladies that are afraid to get
off, and the boys that hitch behind,
and the old gents that are going to
write to the papers. and the folks
that want twenty dollarbills changed,
and the folks you u over, and the
wagons that run into you, | tell you a
bobtail-car driver gets savage after
a while and don't feel like ioolin'.
i was savage that day. There were
two folks in the cara man and a
woman-and only one fare in the box.
I'd rupg and I'd shouted, but neither
OF them attended to me. | laid the
missing fare to the man, because Of
his looks. He was about as poverty
stricken as I ave saw. Not your
laboring mans poverty. A laborer
out of work never looks like that. 1t
was a tramp's rags that fellow wore,
and he had the hands of q tramp, too.
Under their dirt, 4. tramp's hands are
like the hands OF u fine gentleman
same reason, he don't work. This
mans hands were clean, and his face
wasn't bad: but it was more likely he
vas trying to beat me out OF S cents
than the lady was. And if he was a
tramp he had money enough about
.him-they always have-and after I'd
done my best from outside / stopped
the car and went to attend him. The
minute | got in I saw-what seemedto
me sort OF queer l hadn't noticed be-
fore-the lady was q Sister of Charity,
She wore a black bonnet and veil, and
a white thing underit around herfore-
head and under her chm. Her hands
we're crossed in her lap. She was as
holy and pure to look at as if she'd
been an angel. Hooked at her and
then said TO the man:
Il want your fare!!'
lie looked at me-hungry eyes he
had-and says he:
II paid $ cents into your box. Isn't
that right, driver9"
"All light, ii you did it, said l.
Then / went down toward the lady.
1t was my duty, but found it hard
to do. ] stood before her. feeling as
queer as ever l did in my life, and all
could say a
Madam. shall ] take your fare?'
She did not answer me-, but pointed
to a paper somebody had left upon
the seat-a common newspaper.
Give it to him." seemed to see
her say with her l%ips-ana by "hlm'
saw she meant the tramp.
Now, q paper left III he u belonged
to me, and Pm u man with Il temper,
and at my wages the, price OF a paper
was something; so what do you think
then, OF my going and handing that
paper over to the tramp, as meek as
Moses?
Here says /. poking it toward
at isn't mine,' says he.
But my eyes were on the sister all
the while.
1.-The lady says you must take it,"
says I.
Now, she hadn't said anything. She
had only lifted her hand.
What lady?' says the man, taking
the paper.
"The sister there" says T..
Chen all OF a sudden, while l looked
at her, the seat the lady had been
sitting on was EMPTY! She hadn't got
upon her feet or moved. She just
wasn't there any
got u to my horses again as
quick as l could. Men do go out OF
their heads from overwork, Pm told,
and l began to think I was going out
of mine. did not dare to look into
the car until the man inside pulled
back the slide and spoke:
"Driver, give me your name and
residence" he says.
"What for?" / says.
mo HARM" says he.
"Do you mean to get me into
trouble?" l asked, knowingthat there
were spoilers about. and making up
my mind that this was II in disguise.
Il tried my best to get that lady's
fare. but could not be hard on @ sis.
ter" -.>.
y saw no lady. What do I care
about fares? Ii you give me your
name you won't be sorry, l think"
He spoke like a gentleman, for all
his clothes.
ooh, we'll, Pm not ashamed OF my
name-it's Jim Brown. This car is
No, and if you want me you can
find me-"
"All right" he said, and saw that
he had folded the paper square and
was fastening itup in hiscoat, pinning
it with a black-headed pin.
At the next corner he got of.
That night went to Dr., as kind
q man as ever lived. I knew he
wouldn't charge me for an opinion.
l told my story. a.. "
"Now, DOCTOR I said, "if I am
looney, out with it,"
"No, no, JIM" said he; every sane
men have optical illusions now and
then" -
II don't want any more OF 'em,"
said ], Collecting fares of optical
illusions don't pay"
II should say not" said the doctor.
s''But my opinion is that you turned
your back 4 minute and the woman
got off without paying her fare.
Probably she was not a real Sister oil
Charity. The city is full of frauds.
She made you take the paper, to the
man to give herself a chance. See,
now?"
I didn't see; but what can you do
when folks r so sensible they can't
believe anything?
.tTWasnit like that-thera she WAS