The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-27
CREDULITY OF MAN.
TWO GOOD STORIES ILLUSTRATING
A BROKERS' THEORY.

Some Men VIII Believe Almost Anything
without Logical Investigation IL Some.
body They Happen to Know Appears to
Re I'm Earnest.
They wandered from subject to sub.
ject in a listless way over their coffee
and cigars, as men often do when they
have enjoyed good dinner, until the
broker got on his favorite hobby--the
average mans credulity. His companion,
. 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
isa 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 a few years ago, and
drawing out q 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 q man walked in and said to
the proprietor:
"'Mr. Kennedy, I 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 see
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. 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.
"Well, here's another instance" said
the broker. Stewart went to a picnic
one day with some men, and one of them
had on a brand new hat he had Just
Bought in the city. 1t was an almost
white derby, and it at once attracted
Stewards attention.
"'Well,' he said, going up to the
young man, you've got one of those new
hats, have you? Let's look at ity
1.-THE fellow took it off with some show
Of pride and handed it over for inspec-
ton.
4 saw one Of them hats the other
day in the city, said Stewart to the lit
tie group Of men who had gathered
around him, and had half mind to
get it, but as was in hurry didn't
stop. They are something entirely new.
They don't burn, you know. I'd like to
have that hat. What'll you take for itY
Il don't want to sell it, answered
the owner, grinning with pleasure at
being the object of so much attention. Il
didn't know it was fireproof though.
Are you sure about iii!
"'Oh, yes, replied Stewart confident
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 over
10 wood fire, followed by the crowd of
men who had been gaping with wonder
1t the reported qualities of the new hat.
"'How will put it inT he asked Stew
art, who stood near by with look of in
tense interest on his face.
"'Oh, chuck it right in. 1t can't hurt
it, replied the joker.
$50 the innocent victim threw his hat
into the fire, which Of course made short
work of it. The mans face was con-
vulsed with rage and astonishment, and
his temper was not improved when the
crowd Of men burst into roar. He
looked around for Stewart, but that
gentleman had discreetly disappeared.
"Oh, come Off Go and tell that to
the marines as your experience You
can't make me believe such fairy sto-
ries," said his auditor.
"Those stories are perfectly straight:
knew the men myself. New York
Tribune.
Excess of Conscience.