The Afro-American advance., 1899-09-09
HE WAS cRoss-EYED.
A stage Driver who Misied the rso-
pie by sTts Crisn-Croas
Chances.

The cross-eyed etage driver in Fifth
avenue eaeses great uncertainty as to
his intentions in regard to possible pa
irons of his stage They stand ON the
corners waiting until he nearly reaches
them. and then the frantic gestures be
in.3The first time they signal they do
not notice that he is rruss-cyed, but as
he approaches nearer and nearer the
uncertainty grows upon theu,. They
are not sure he saw them at all. or does
see them or will see them. The past,
present aud future are in mudtlle, and
while II is certainly his business 10 be
en the lookout for patrons il is not at
all certain thatZ Ne will. Everyone
knows by experience that the drivers of
public couNeyances do not always keep
their business eye ON the corner, and
who can tell where u eross-eyed driver
may be looking?
As | rode on the top OF the cross>eve,i
lrtSer's stage the other day l noticed
the demoIaliziug effects of his glanees.
a bioated heHdholtler lifted his cane
slightly as the stage ran toward him.
ing able to see his cane himself, he was
taken with the idea that the erusSe-cves
had not perceived il either. aud SO he
lifted il again and again, five times.
each time little higher until il was
waving frantically aloft, The stage
stopped exactly where II would have
stopped had he simply Signoled once,
he next passenger was tall and thin,
gaunt and prim. and wore spectacles.
She had Fayly trimmed hat and u
tightly fitting tailor-made costume.
She held her handhnE-n "A Boston bag
tightly In one hand, and raised the 9th
er stliliy from the elbow, holding one
finger up She then jerked IT back
again. MS If II were on springs, No 9th
er part of her body moved. but her
eagle eye was on the face of the driver.
Soon, in quick succession, she irrked
that finger up five times more. her face
becoming sterner each time 1t seemed
as II she were thinking: ~ wonder If
he saw mel" IL do not believe he dit1 I"
II am sure he did mott" 'lIe il not
even looking Mt mel" "'IIc sees me
now!' No, he does not; that eye is
looking across the street." but sud.
denly the stage stopped right in front
of her.
Another woman ran 20 the corner and
threw her whole arm up at once Then
she raised IL again and waved it fran
tically in swinging movement in the
air until the driver stopped
A woman who looked as II she had
| just taken leave of "a big family OF chill.
| dren aud had not gotten through way
ing the baby "by.hy." lifted her arm
aud waved her fingers up and down ~
II she were also saying "by by" To the
driver, Each time she Increased the
number of little waves and smiled
swcetly and nodded her head pleasant
ly. Her nmiability was irresistible. and
OF course the stage stopped for her.
In fact the stage stops exactly at tn,
right hand lower corner for every pas.
scnRer. II would stop just the same II
only one signal were given, but the pas.
senErrs seem 10 forget that IL is the
business of the stage TO stop for them,
aud that the driver plans To get focus
on the corner Of every block. although
the exact mathematical combination of
sight rays is not ditulgcd to the intend
ing patron.-N. y. Herald.