The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-02-11
CREDULITY OF MAN.
TWO GOOD STORES ILLUSTRATING
A BROKERS' THEORY.

Some Men Will Believe Almost Anything
without Logical Investigation If Some
body They Happen to Know Appears to
Be in Earnest.
They wandered from subject to sub
ject in istless way over their coffee
and cigars, as men often do when they
have enjoyed a good dinner, until the
broker got on his favorite hobby-the
average mans credulity. His companion,
q lawyer, disagreed with him, and that
at once started them on lively argu-
ment After few minutes of general
discussion the broker said:
"Well, I'll give you an instance. 1t is
pretty good story anyhow, and per-
fectly true, almost incredible as it seems.
In the town where was born there lives
an old river captain named Stewart, who
is great practical joker. The proprie-
tor of one of the two hotels in the place
Is rather pompous and conceited old
man. Stewart walked into the Office of
the hotel one day few years ago, and
drawing out a one dollar 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
corners, and just glancing at it handed
the amount in change to Stewart.
''The joker had added another figure in
ink to the numbers on the bill, and as
the proprietor did not like to acknowl-
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 out of the ho-
tel and told all the men he met about the
joke.
"About fifteen minutes after Stewart
went away man walked in and said to
the proprietor:
"'Mr. Kennedy, 1 understand that you
have an eleven dollar bill here. May
look at it? Inever 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 SET
the bill, and then another and another
Finally Kennedy's curiosity became ex
cited, and he thought he would see what
the bill really looked like. H. saw a
once how it had been fixed and hi
face was O study. The boys shouted
with laughter, and the old fellow had t.
acknowledge that the cigars were OF
him, and he set them up like q man."
"Humi that was funny" commented
the lawyer.
"Well, here's another instance" sal,
the broker. Stewart went to picni
one day with some men, and one of then
had on a brand new hat he had jus
bought in the city. It was an almos
white derby, and it at once attracte'
Stewards attention.
"'Well,' he said, going up to tn
young man, you've got one of those ney
hats, have you? Let's look at it?
''The fellow took it off with some shoy
Of pride and handed it over for inspec
ton.
=" 4 saw ono Of them hats the othe
day in the city, said Stewart to the lii
tie group Of men who had gathere
around him, and I had half mind t
get it, but as I was in a hurry didn'
stop. They are something entirely new
They don't burn, you know. I'd like
have that hat. What'll you take for it
Z" 4 don't want to sell it, answere
the ownez, grinning with pleasure a
being the object of so much attention.
didn't know it was freproof though
Are you sure about it?
"'Oh, yes replied Stewart confden
ly. Sell it to me and I'll show you
"No, if you're sure I'll try it myself
And the young countryman walked owe
to wood fire, followed by the crowd {
men who had been gaping with wonde
at the reported qualities of the new ha
"'How will I put it in? he asked Stew
art, who stood near by with look of il
tense interest on his face.
"'Oh, chuck it right in. 1t can't hui
it, replied the joker.
| $50 the innocent victim threw his hi
into the fire, which of course made sho1
work of it. The mans face was col
vulsed with rage and establishment, an
his temper was not improved when IL
crowd of men burst into a roar. E
looked around for Stewart, but thi
gentleman had discreetly disappeared.
"Oh, come off! Go and tell that I
the marines as your experience Yc
can't make me believe such fairy st
ries," said his auditor.
, "Those stories are perfectly straigh
knew the men myself. New Yol
Tribune.