Morris tribune., 1901-05-04
TT MADE HIM A HERO.
AN ACT THAT BROUGHT A LAWYER
FAME AND FORTUNE.

1t Looked Like an Exhibition OF
Pure Nerve and Daring, but In
Reality 1t Was Simply an Outcome
of His Observation-Disclosures.
a person who enjoys good eye
sight" said a man who most decidedly
does not would be greatly astonished
to know how little is seen by those who
are nearsighted even in a moderate de-
gree. The average shortsighted man,
of whom there are hundreds in every
large city, sees nothing distinctly more
than a foot away from his nose. Be
yond that distance the outline of OBJ
jects becomes hazy and indistinct,
growing rapidly more and more so IN
til everything is finally merged into
one general blur. The faces Of people
across the street are mere pink blOtch-
es, their figures are destitute Of de-
tail. signs are indec1pherable sc feet
away, and the whole movement of traf-
&c and passing show of the thorough
fare is a misty panorama, in which
nothing much smaller than cab can
be definitely distinguished.
"Cf course nearsighted person can
see as we'll as anybody through prop
erly fitted glasses, but great many
folks regard them as such disfgure-
ment that they prefer to do without
their aid That kind of pride is GER
tainly very foolish because it causes
one to miss at least nine-tenths of
what is going on, to say nothing of be-
ing an open invitation to accident
Yet, oddly enough, l know oi case III
which # actually saved mans life
and laid the foundation of fortune
The hero Of the episode was law
yer in a city in Ohio where spent my
boyhood. He was beyond middle age
at the time, but was straight as an ar
row and decidedly handsome, soldier
ly looking parsonage. These good looks
of his were his weak point, and al
though he was extremely nearsighted
he was vain enough to deny himself
glasses and kept the fact Of his in
trinity secret. The consequence of
this folly was a wide reputation for
haughtiness, as he rarely recognized
anybody on the street, and it undoubt-
eddy damaged him in his practice. At
any rate, he had never made anything
more than a very modest living when
the curious incident have in mind &C.
Cured.
'"The city government had been for
long time under ring rule" continued
the story teller, "and it finally became
80 bad that the decent people revolted
and organized reform movement. The
good looking lawyer-cau him Colonel
Jones for convenience-was one of the
reformers, and, among other things. he
made himself active in securing in
dictments against a number Of gam
bling house keepers.
'The boss ringster Of the place was a
typical bully and ward politician nam
ed Harding, who was financially inter-
ested in several Of the games and nat
urally furious at any interference He
was giant physically, he would fight
at the drop Of q hat. 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, Colonel Jones was rash enough to
write newspaper card in which 6sl
scored the authorities for allowing such
ruttian to defeat the ends Of justice.
1.-THE colonel looked like soldier but
he was really a, very bland and peace
able gentleman, and he never dreamed
that his little effusion would get him
into personal difficulty. On the morn
ing the card appeared he was walking
calmly to his Office when Harding rush
ed out Of bar across the street, called |
him by name and at the same time lev
eled a six shooter at his head. At that 1
distance all coons looked alike to the
nearsighted lawyer, and, turning in the |
direction Of the voice, he made out the |
vague figure Of man with outstretch-
ed arm apparently reckoning him to
come over.
"a little surprised, but still perfectly |
placid, he started to cross the street !
Harding glared at him in amazemeut !
and once or twice was on the point of |
pulling the trigger, but the spectacle
of that serene and dignified figure
calmly advancing straight on the muz