New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
HIS REPUTATION FOR COURAGE.
AN OCCASION WHEN NEARSIGHTEDNESS
STOOD HIM IN GOOD STEAD
From The New-Orleans Times-Democrat.

From The New-Orleans Times-D Democrat.
A person who enjoys good eyeseht said a man
astonisIed know how little is by those who
are nearsighted even in a moderate degree. The
average ShortsiShted man. of whom there are hun
dreds in every large city. sees nothing distinctly
that distance the outline of objects becomes hazy
ana indisunCt. growing rapidly more and more So
until everything is finally merged in one general
mere pink blotches their figures are destitute of
detail SIGNS are lndeclph'rable thirty fSet away.
and the whole movement of traffic and passing
which nothirg much smaller than a cab can be
definitely distinguished OF course. a nearsighted
person well anybody through prop
erly fitted glasses. but a great many folks regard
ont m fGcr aii hat KIND '' OF pride is Certainly W
very foolish because il causes one to miss at least
being an open invitation to accident; yet. oddly
saved a mans life and laid the foundation Of
Torture The hero of the episode was lawyer in
beyond middle age at the time. but was straight
and decidedly handsome soliderly look
weak point. ana although he was extremely, near
md kent the fact of his infrmity a secret The
consequence of this folly was wide reputation for
the street and it undoubeily damaged him his
practice AT any rate he had never made anything
more than very modest living when the curious
incident have in mind occurred
under ring rule continued the story teller. and
II finally became so bad that the decent people
good looking lawyer-cal him Colonel Jones for
other things. he made himself active in securing
indictments against a number of gambling house
keepers. The boss rinGster OF the place was a
typical bully and ward politician named HARDING,
who was financially Interested in several Of the
games and naturally furious at any inter
ference He giant ply sically. he would night
the drop of hat. and the personal Tear ne m
spired was really the secret of his influence After
the gambling indictments We're found ne projected
10 his pull TO have them pigeonhoed. anu
learning what going on. Colonel Jones was
rash enough To write newspaper card in which
he scored the authorities for allowing Such runin
10 defeat the ends OF Justice
THE colonel looked like soldl"r Dut ne was
really bland ana peaceable man. anu |
him into personal difficulty. on the morning the |
card appeared he was walking calmly to his office !
street called him by name and at the same time |
ievelled a sxshOoter at his head. At that distance
all looked alike TO the nearsighted lawyer |
and turning in the direction OF the voice he made
out the vague figure of a man. with outstretched |
arm. apparently beckoning to him to come over |
surprised. but still perfectly placid, he |
started across the street. Harding glared at him |
in amaZement. and once or twice was on the point |
OF pulling the trigger: but the spectacle of that
straight the muZZle of the gun. was too much I
fer his and before the colonel traveTs"d
ANONYMOUSLY fed. Needless to say. the episode
made tremendous sensation. and Jones. who had |
sense enough To hold his tongue, was the popular
hero of the hour. harding. on IN" contrary was
ruined. for his prestige had disappeared Ike nasi
OF lightning. and. unable to stand the disgrace OF
the affair ne quietly sold out his belongings ana
left the city That broke the back of the ring.
the reformers went into control. and the colonel
was elected Mayor by a tremendous majority He
practices in that part Of the state ana di"t worm
nearly a quarter of million dollars. Ia eXpana-
mind saying that he was a instant rtIttNt oI
mine and the family circle. where ms near
sighteiness was well known, he owned up to the
facts good joke. lie said he had a vague idea
when he started across the street that Harding Was
a farmer client who had promised to pay him a fee
that morning.