The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21

harmless vanity INDUCED when he was a
youth and when watches were not abund-
ant and it was a common thing to ask the
time OF day as you passed your neIghbor.
Perhaps, also, he had a notion that it
would do its duty all the better from being
wound up 10 the sacred fame When the
watch had been returned to its fob Sned-
DIN was in need of a pinch Of snuff.
SUN and stubbIy red mustaehe gave him
a teroclous appearance, and the debris of
coplous snuH-taklng Ornamenting his stub
Ole added TO bis ferOcity materially.
with due soiemnlty Sueddin drew out of
bis walstcOat heavy silver box, In which
there might be couple of ounces of his
favorite taddv. Possessing himself be-
tween thumb and finger of big pinch he
transferred it to his nOstrils with ster-
torous snuff1ing noise loud enough to be
heard across the church. Then he busted
of the unapprOprated remainder with a
red handkerchief and looked around,
fortified and happy for the ordeal OF a
Presby sermon an hour long.
These various preparations Of Snuffy
Sneddln, as he was too Familiarity called 20
distinguish him from other Sneddins,
were supplemented unluckily by another
habit Tor which the minister was respon-
sIble. The notion somehow arose that
the precentor. who leads the singing in
Scotch churches without organ and with
no more assistance than a tuning-fork
which occasionally tunes him wrong, was
insufticiently supported by the congrega-
ton. Such thing as vicariOuS singing
had suspicion OF sin about II, not atOned
tor If harmonious, and the minister most
precpitateiy lectured the congregation on
the plous obligation resting upon every
body to join in the psalming. Thereafter
vocal devotion became contagious.
The volume of sound smote the ear a
quarter OF mile from church, and if any,
Thing could be heard farther off it was the
voice OF Snuffy Sneddin, hoarse and
student, bold and unQuayering, not con-
hned 10 an octave OF error, and quite in
dependent of tune or time, a raucouS
cacophony which had DO more consOnance
with music than rusty wheelbarrOw
crank in need of oil, and which caused
people to wonder what bar of the tune he
was taking. Sneddin took his share in the
singing whether he knew the music or not,
and was quite Oblivious Of the fact that he
made his fellow-worshipers shiver in his
vicinity. he was a devOut man, and eX-
cept that he would wind up his watch,
shovel snuff up his nose, and gIunt and
bawl in cadence all his own, no fault
could be found with his orthodoxy and
ways He was an example of unconscious
annoyance.
There are other forms of ANNOYANCE by
no means unconscious or pardonable, but
deliberately paraded Extensively Thew
are the staple In life of the snob, the cad.
the vulgar, underbred. overdressed man
or woman who IS cOntem ptuously indiffer-
ent 10 the feelings or emotions of others
in public, and takes a malicious pleasure
in ruffiing eyerybody's susceDtibilities.
Such creatures are often TO be seen at
public gatherings or in trains. or on board
ferry steamers. How they can inflict them
selves uDOn company with out being in
troducedi In mercy they may be consid-
cred pachydermatOus. but in most cases
they are only taking their enjoyment at
the expense of social grooming, and they
could hardly behave worse ii they were 10
bring cracked accordion with them and
performed with variations. acc dental and
artistic, the latest WORKOUT jingle OF the
music hall.
Some of these conscious annoyances
may be encountered on the Oakland ferry.
Inc twenty minutes of passage are be-
gulled with music by three or four execu-
tantS whose selections are usually In good
taste, and are listened to with pleasure by
most OF the passengers. When they are
. IN the middle Of the exquisite air from
Satanella," THE Power of Love-" the
snoo with loud voice and swedish
clothes has his opportunity. He finds
1rlend near The musicians and salutes him
as he crosses the saloon. Then the two
Sit together and begin a conversation of the
wlttlest CT 9racter, judging from their guf-
laws OF laughter, and the more they
laugh their neighbOrs frOwn. The leader
OF the little band glances over his violin
with glare, for he takes pride in his
art, but he might as we'll appeal to the
cuspidor. 1t is talk aud talk 10 the end of
the trip. and they are always talking very
loudly when the collection OF nickeIs is
made. They give nothing and they care
nothing for music. and they consider their
fellow passengers a lot Of Gull asses.
But such men succeed IN life. They
bully every body and insist upon having
wnat they want. They are not troubled
with the weakness of modesty. They
trample down opposition. The earth was
made for them and they take possession.