Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-29
ON HASTY JUDGMENT
Not Every Man Whose Eye Dwells on
a Lady's Face Should Offer.

Not Every Man Whose Eye Dwells on
a Lady's Face Should Offer.
The man boarded the Sixth avenue
elevated train at Park place and sat
down in one of the cross seats. The
car was not half filled and the cross
seat opposite him was not occupied.
He was an innocent looking man and
quiet He looked like a family man
from Brooklyn, one who would get a
great deal Of pleasure out of pushing
a baby carriage. Physically he looked
quite perfect, though one of his eyes
was little queer, says the New York
Sun.
At Chamber street the car filled I'D.
The seat opposite this man was taken
by a young woman. She was Just an
ordinary young woman. She wore a
long black cape, which was lined with
a pinkish, changeable color silk. She
had good, sharp eyes. She looked as
if she might be Jersey girl shopping
She carried a blue handled umbrella.
For some time she looked out of the
window and down into the street It
was about Blocker street that she be-
gan to cast furtive glances at the man
opposite her. Then she began to fidget,
as if she was getting nervous. Her
glances at the man opposite her be-
came more frequent and her face
which had been pleasant, began to
cloud. By and by she turned about and
sat squarely in the seat and stared
hard at the man opposite her. From
her eyes it could be seen that she was
getting angrier and angrier every mo-
ment. She continued that stare q min
ute, and then Topped around again and
looked out of the window Her face
was red and her eyes We're fiery.
When the guard called ''Twenty-
third street." she jumped up. She
raised her umbrella and brought it
down, full force, on the head of the
innocent-looking man.
There" she snapped, take that for
your impudence."
Everybody was excited, and the most
excited of all was the innocent-look-
ing man.
''Ex-ex-eXcuse me, madam" he
stammered,. I'LL beg your"
"Take that for your impudence," said
the fiery young woman again, as she
banged him over the head a second
time. I'll teach you to stare at ladies
on the cars. L may not live in New
York, but 1 won't be insulted by such
as you"
Good! Goodr' cried two or three Of
the male passengers in the car.
Serves him rightr' exclaimed two or
three of the women passengers.
'EX-excuse me" began the inno-
cent looking man again.
'Shut up! Put him out! Oh, the
brute!' and q choice collection Of other
words came from the passengers, both
male and female The train was now
at the station, and the young woman
who had caused all the trouble hurried
out. AS she passed the window where
the man was sitting she shook her UNI
brella at him. The train went on.
The innocent looking man looked
around. Everybody in the car was
looking at him, and everybody seemed
to be very much disguised with him.
dozen of the passengers nearest him
were talking for his benefit.
"She ought to have stuck the UNI
brella in his eyes," said one.
HE didn't get half enough" said an
other
ga coat of tar and feathers would
about fit him." said still another.
The innocent looking man turned red
and white by turns. He put his hand
to his face and bowed his head.
II should think he'd hide his head
with shame" said woman.
Eyes, he ought to go bury himself"
supplemented a man.
''Hear me. You wrong me-" said the
innocent looking man, standing up.
"Shut UP! Sit down! Get out! Go
to hlazes! Go hide yourself! Go Jump
off the dock! Shame! Shame! Go take
q run and jump up in the air! Close
your trapi Drop dead! Rats! Go lose
yourself! Screw your nut! Fall into
the canal! Your trolley's off! Soak
your head! Get off the earth!''
These were a few of the remarks
that were made before the innocent
looking man had a chance to again say:
Hear me- Your wrong me-"
Then the remarks began again. But
the innocent looking mans dander was
up and he kept right on.
Il wasn't staring at her; it was this"
He held between the thumb and fore
finger of his right hand little object.
Its glass;" he said. II lost my eye
years ago. I got this. 1t stares. 1
can't help it"
There was silence for a moment
The people looked. 1t was sure enough
a glass eye, and then they looked at
the place where the eye ought to be.
It was an empty socket, Somebody
laughed and then everybody laughed.
1t was a foolish sort of a laugh. The
innocent looking man laughed himself
at first as he looked at tn glass eye.
Then he got angry again:
you're a pack of blamed idiots" ne
shouted as the train drew into Thirty
third street, and he made a dash for
the door. He stood on the platform as
the train pulled out. He was so angry
that he was crying. The laugh kept
up until the train started. Then a man
said TOO bad" and tie woman who
had detected the innocent looking man
hiding his head in shame, said:
THE idea! Poor fellow, it wasn't
his fault. She could have seen it was
glass, I think, if she'd looked hard.
Any way, she couldn't nave been much