The Grit-advocate., 1901-05-17
DEFECTIVE VISION GAINED FOR
HIM A REPUTATION.
A Lawyer In an Ohio City Walks To-
ward = Presented Revolver In the
Hands of An Infuriated and Thre Aten-
Ing Enemy.

nothing distinctly more than foot
away. The faces OF people across the
street are mere pink blotches and
their figures are destitute Of detail. OF
course, through properly fitted glasses
near-sighted man can see as we'll as
anybody, but some folks will not wear
them. Oddly enough, know Of case
in which failure to wear glasses actu-
ally saved a mans life and laid the
foundation of fortune. The hero of
the episode was a lawyer in a city in
Ohio, where l spent my boyhood. He
was straight as an arrow, and a de-
cidedly handsome, soldierly looking
parsonage. These good looks Of his
were his weak point, and although he
was extremely near-sighted he was
vain enough to deny himself glasses.
and kept the fact Of his infirmity Sc
cret. The consequence Of this folly
was wide reputation for haughtiness
as he rarely recognized anybody on the
street, and it undoubtedly damaged
him in his practice. At any rate, he
had never made anything more than a
very modest living when the curious
incident l have in mind occurred. The
city government had been for a long
time under ring rule, and 1t finally
became so bad that the decent people
revolted and organized a reform move
ment The good-looking lawyer-call
Rhim Col. Jones for convenience-was
sone Of the reformers, and. among 9TH
er things, he made himself active in
securing indictments against a number
of gambling house keepers. The boss
ringster of the place was typical bull
ly and ward politician named Hard
ing, who was financially interested in
several of the games and naturally was
furious at any interference. He was
a giant physically. he would fight at
the drop of nat, and the personal
fear he inspired was really the secret
of his influence. After the gambling
indictments were found he proceeded
to use his pull to have them pigeon
holed, and. learning what was going
on, Col. Jones was rash enough to
write a newspaper card in which he
scored the authorities for allowing
such ruffian to defeat the ends Of
justice. The colonel looked like SOL
dier, but he was really very bland
and peaceable man, and he never
dreamed that his little effusion would
get him into personal difficulty On
the morning the card appeared he was
walking calmly to his office when
Harding rushed out of a barroom
across the street, called him by name,
and at the same time levelled a six
shooter at his head. At that distance
all coons looked alike to the near
sighted lawyer. and, turning in the
direction of the voice, he made out
the vague figure Of man, with out
stretched arm, apparently beckoniDg
to him to come over A little 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 trig-
ger; but the spectacle of that serene
and dignified figure, calmly advancing
straight on the muzzle of the gun, was
too much for his nerves, and before the
colonel traversed half the distance he
dropped the weapon and ignominious-
ly fled. Needless to say the episode
made a tremendous sensation, and
Jones, who had sense enough to hold
his tongue. was the popular hero of the
hour. Harding, on the contrary. was
ruined. for his prestige had disap-
NGeared like flash of lightning, and,
3nable to stand the disgrace Of the af-
fair, he quietly sold out his belongings
and loft the cjtV That broke the hack