The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-05-04
CREDULlTY OF NAN.
TWO GOOD STORIES ILLUSTRATING
A BROKERS' THEORY.

some Men Will believe Almost Anything
Without Logical investigation Il some
body They Happen to Know Appears to
He in Earnest.
They wandered from subject to sub
iect in a listless way over their coffee
and cigars. lis men often do when they
have enjoyed "a good dinner. until the
roker got on his favorite hobby-the
average mans credulity. His companion.
lawyer, disagreed with him. and that
at once started them on Il lively argu-
ulent, After IL few minutes of general
discussion the broker said
well. I'll give Won an instance. 1t is
a pretty good story anyhow. and per
tectly true. almost incredible as it seems.
In the town where | was born there lives
Ri old river captain named Stewart. who
isa great practical joker. The proprie-
tor of one Of the two hotels III the place
is a rather pompou, and coEceited old
man. Stewart wallel into the Office of
the hotel one day i few years ago. and
drawing out Il one tgllar bank note asked
the proprietor if he could change an
eleven dollar bill. The old fellow said
yes and took the bill, which. sure
enough. had the number eleven in the
corndSs. and just CHANGING at it handed
the amount in change to Stewart.
The joker h8l added another figure in
ink to the numbers on the bill. and as
the proprietor did not like to acanowl-
edge that he had never seen an eleven
dollar bill before he had only glanced at
it casually before putting it IN the
drawer. Stewart walked ont Of the no.
tel and told all the men he met about the
joke.
About fifteen minutes after Stewart
went away a man walked in and said to
the proprietor:
Mr.. Kennedy, | understand that you
have an eleven dollar bin here. May !
look at II? ! never saw one.'
Kennedy produced it, and the man
marveled over it for several minutes.
Before he got through examining it an
other man walked in and asked to see
the bill, and then another and another.
Finally kennedy's curiosity became ex-
cited, and he thought he would see what
the uill really looked like. He saw at
once how it had been fixed and his
face was a study. The boys shouted
with laughter. and the old fellow had to
acknowledge that the cigars were on
him, and he set them up like a man"
Hum! that was funny" commented
the lawyer.
We'll, here's another instance" said
the broker. Stewart went to a picnic
one day with some men. and one of them
had ut, N lra,l ,r- - l.. ii
bought in the city 1t was an almost
white derby. and it AT once attracted
Stewards attention
Well he said, going UP to the
man, you've got one Of those new:
hats, have you? Let's look at it,
The fellow took it off with some show
Of pride and handed it over for inspec.
ton.
- saw ore Of them hats the other
lay IN the city said Stewart TO the lit
tie group Of mon who had gathered
around him. and | had half a mind to
get 1t. but as | was in a hurry | didn't
stop. They are something entirely new
They don't burn. you know ID like to
nave that hat. NhatH you take for it,
- don't want to sell it., answered
he owner. grinning with pleasure at
icing the object of 50 much attention. i
know it was fireproof though
Are yon sure about it,
"'Oh, yes replied Stewart confident
y. Sell it to me and I'll show YOU
mo. II you're sure I'll try it myself.
the young countryman walked over
0 a wood fire. followed by the crowd OF ,
zen who had been gaping with wonder
t the reported qualities of the new hat
How will | put it in:' he asked Stew. ,
who stood near by with a look of in. ,
interest on his face. !
Oh. chuck it right in 1t can't hurt q
; replied the joker.
so the innocent victim threw his hat
ITO the fire. which of course made short !
'ork of it, The mans face was con- s
ulsed with rage and establishment. and I
Is temper was not improved when the
Of men burst into a roar. He G
oked around for Stewart, but that I
sntleman had discreetly disappeared" 0
.Oh, come off. Go and tel that to il
le marines as your experience You
mt make ME believe such fairy sto- h
es,' said his auditor. /
Those stories are perfectly straight. a
knew the men myself. New York y