New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
THE CHRISTMAS BRIGANDS
HOW THEY EXACT RANSOM FROM THEIR
VICTIMS.
WATERS. BARRIERS. BooTBLACKs AND Sen
WANTS OF ALI. KINDS ENPECT BIO
TIPS AND GET THEM.

WANTS OF ALI. KINDS ENPECT BIO
TIPS AND GET THEM,
The discontented man sat at his breakfast at the
hotel where ne lives enveloped in a b.ue mist me
waiter saw It, and kept far away from 1t as ne
possibly could. He took care that the eggs snon'd
be Just as he knew the dscontented man hked them'
ne looked carefully at the bacon before ne Droush
IT, to see that II cooked just enough nei'her
oily nor dried up: he attended personally 10 the
makinc OF fresh coffee. He looked carefully at the
cream, TO be assured that Il the double cream
and not the single cream. In New-York double
cream means cream, and cream means pretty
good milk. He brought rolls that were crisp anu
not scorched: ne examined the tablecoth ana founn
no speck on It: he looked at his own face IN the
knives and the spoons before he laid them on the
cloth: he picked out a plate tina, was just hot
enough that there was no danger In tonchhe IT,
To do him justice. the discontented man did not
complain about anything; nothing In sight was
wrong; yet the blue mist was all around hm' us-
tinct and unmstakable
Then the compacent man came In. he gave one
glance a; the discontented mans face and that
1t giowered through blue mist Just as plainly as
anybody else But ne not afraid. lie walked
right into the mist and sat down opposite the as
contented man. He said good morning In sym
pathetic and meaning way. He has a wonderful
power OF expression snd that good morning TO-
ge:her with the expression of his face, said plainly
1T is indeed n hard world. old man. and all the peo
pie IL but fools. worse. but let us two al
least be men. and try bear 1t bravely and cheer
fully; don't just see anything amiss myself. but
you evidently do, and If 1t will relieve your nina
to tell somebody about II. tell me-.
DISTINCTION WITH A DIFFERENCE.
The discontented ate another good piece OF
bacon as if it were bad one. poured some coffee
into his cup, because the present mixture was too
cold, then added some cream because 1t was too ho
stirred up the sugar In the basin from the bottom
10 find an undersized ha.f-lump, and said ITS all
beginning over again-this annual Christmas nui-
sance. / don't object to your beautiful Old Christ
mas sentiment and the season Of affection and good
will and charity and abounding love for all man
kind and all that sort OF thing That Is al! well
enough. but sentiment Is one thing and highway ROD
berry is another"
Even 10 the complacent man this seemed so much
like an axiom that he thought he could accept IT
without the danger of committing himself to any
chance heresy that might follow.
do you sec that fellow there said the discon-
tented man. nodding toward the head waiter; what
do you think he wanted me to do?"
Cant imagine. I'm sure"
'He wanted TO take chance In a rattle for the
benefit of the employees of the house, for Christmas
well. did you?"
mo, sir; did not"
"Then where does the highway robbery come in?"
1T didn't in that time. but an attempt 10
commit a crime is just as much evidence of moral
aged this year to remember just in time what hap
pened last year. and am going TO save myself but
Il makes faint TO think what shall nave 10
20 through in the two weeks. 1t is easier for
soft-hearted fool like TO give up money than 1t is
to refuse to- but l can't afford the luxury OF being
prodigal. and have got to make stand
HIS LAST YEARS EXPERIENCE.
Now let me tell you what happened last year
Right In this very this very same head waiter
came TO me- Just as he did this morning, and asked
me 10 take chances in a rattle for the employees OF
the house for Christmas. l said: Why. OF course;
put me down for s5' Well, | didn't get the silver
mounted flask, or whatever II was that was rafhed
for and the man who did get II didn't gain anything
by It, because he paid more than the value OF 1t for
drinks for the crowd that were present. The queer
mart of Il was to my sensible mind. that they eX-
pected him to pay for those drinks and would have
felt II ne hadn't. Such is the Stiffness OF aver
age people.
ofice-boys in my office came around with paper
and asked for a subscription for the beneht OF all
the boys for Christmas. l cheerfuly put down dol
lar Now my business, you know, Is one that re-
quires the office TO be kept open for large part or
the night so we have TO employ double force OF
ofice-boys The next evening one of the night boys
came TO me and explained that the subscription In
which had kindly joined was for the day boys
only and as long had helped them along it was
no more than fair that should do as much for the
night boys. i was little sutpiiseu at tHS out
put down another dollar.
"Rv the time Christmas came had had time to
get over the effect of these little incidents in some
measure. When l came out of my room on Christ
mas morning the chambermaid was In the hall just
outside my door. She asked me If everything was
all right about my room. She knew very we'll that II
anything had been wrong she would nave heard OF
II promptly. so | thought that her question must be
prompted by pure excess of thoughtfulness for my
comfort. How pleasant. after ALL thought. is the
Christmas feeling that makes each of us care SO
kindly for the happiness of all the rest" thanked
her and said that everything was exactly as
wished il.
"As turned away caught a strange look OF dis
appointment on her face. and it suddenly struck me
that perhaps the Christmas feeling was expected TO
be on my side. After all l thought again why
should it not be? | not rich but am much
richer than she Why not go out Of my way little
10 make the poor girl happy? She may have
mother who is dependent on her. or some little
brothers and sisters who ought TO be sent TO school
am sure she has always tried 10 please me- II she
has ever failed 1t probably because she was
overworkea.
A GIFT CLEARLY IN ORDER.
.'The tears almost came into my eyes as thought
Of her little brothers and sisters, ana their empty
stockings hung by the chimney in her mothers poor
home where there was hardly enough to fill the
soup kettle for Christmas. 10 say nothing OF the
stockings. l asked the chambermaid If she should
feel hurt IL asked her TO accept 2 In honor OF the
day | really wanted to give 1t TO her l explained
and should feel very sorry she refused to take It,
She dd not refuse to H. and ii she felt hurt she
managed TO hide 1t. so was much cheered ana iei'
that | had begun the day with good deed
Just at the door of the elevator met the hall
boy He asked If had rung l said, NO: what
made you think so? lie said he thought had runs
and he was inst coming 10 see what / wanted.
Then saw that he had the same % LOOK sa as IN. 1ne
:
earning it himself by kind Of work that Is not
good for boy at age waen he ought 10 De al
school II 1t were a holiday. when he should be
sliding down a hill or kicking football gave
him dollar and made no apology
Then. feeling that was perfect phiIanthropist