St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-09-30
HI WAS cRoss-EYEn
pie ~ HIS Criss-Crsss
G1aaces,

The cross-eyed stage driver in Fifth
avenue causes great uncertainty as to
his intentions in regard to possible pa
irons of his stage. They stand ON the
corners waiting until he nearly reacheG
them, and then the frantic gestures be-
gin. The first time they signal they do
not notice that he il cross-eyed, but n
he approaches nearer and nearer the
uncertainty grows upon them. They
are not sure he saw them at all, or does
zee them or will see them The past.
present and future are in a muddle, and
while it is certainly his business to be
en- the lookout for patrons it is not at
all certain that he will Everyone
knows by experience that the driverscf
public eonveyances do not always keep
their business eye on the corner, and
who can tell where cross-eyed driver
may be looking?
As / rode on the top Of the cross-eyed
drivers stage the other day l noticed
the demoralizing effects of his glances.
A bloated bondholder lifted his cane
slightly as the stage ran toward him.
He was quiet and dignified. but, not be-
ing able to see his cane himself, he was
taken with the idea that the crosse-eyes
had not perceived it either, and so he
lifted it again and again, five times,
each time little higher, until it was
waving franticalfy aloft. The stage
stopped exactly where it would have
stopped had he simply signaled once.
The next passenger was tall and thin.
gaunt and prim, and wore spcctacles.
She had q gayly trimmed hat and q
tightly-fitting tailor-made costume.
She held her handbag Boston bag.
tightly in one hand, and raised the 9TH
er stifiy from the elbow, holding one
finger up. She then jerked it back
again. AZ if it were ON springs. Nooth-
er part of her body moved, but her
eagle eye was on the face of the driver.
Soon, in quick succession, she jerked
that finger up five times more, her face
becoming sterner each time. 1t seemed
Al If she were thinking: II wonder II
he saw mel" II do not believe he did!"
II am sure he did not!~ He il not
even looking at mel" ".He sees me
now!" mo, he does not; that eye Is
looking across the street," But sud-
denly the stage stopped right in front
Of her.
Another woman ran to the corner and
threw her whole arm up at once. Then
she raised it again and waved it fran
tically in q swinging movement in the
air until the driver stopped.
A woman who looked as il she had
just taken leave of big family of chill
dren and had not gotten through wav-
ing the baby s'by-by,v lifted her arm
and waved her fingers up and down a.
If ske were also saying 'by-by" to the
driver. Each time she increased the
number Of little waves and smiled
sweetly and nodded her head pleasant
ly.. Her amiability was irrisistible. and
of course the stage stopped for her.
In fact, the stage stops exactly at the
right hand lower corner for every pas
senger. 1t would stop just the same II
only one signal were given, but the pas
sengers seem to forget that it is the
business of the stage to stop for them,
and that the driver plans to get focus
on the corner of every block, although
the exact mathematical combination of
sight rays is not divulged to the intend
ing patron.-N. Y. Herald.