Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-03-28

JUDGED By
HIS COAT

The smooth faced, chubby looking
man Of 40, whose long and fashionably
cut overcoat was ornamented with a
heavy mink collar and equally heavy
mink cuffs, entered the smoking car at
Philadelphia, deposited his bag in the
rack overhead and as the car was
somewhat chilly kept his overcoat on
| while he pulled out pretty good cigar
and started in on the enjoyment of a
| smoke.
The man in the seat across the aiSi"
seemed to be pretty comfortable owing
| to the attention he'd been paying 10 bis
| big silver flask since the derIrture OF
| the train from. New York. an hen he
saw the smooth faced, genial looking
man with the fur trimmed oyercoat he
| handed the flask over to him, saying:
Have pull at that, chum. Its chilly
| in here"
Thanks" said the man with the fur
trimmed oyercoat, smiling amiaDly
"but I've just had luncheon"
After awhile a fashy looking chap
and took seat alongside the man with
the fur trimmed overcoat. He sized up
the man with the fur trimmed otercoat
out of the tail OF his eye, lit a cigar
and inquired of his seat mate:
well, how are they running for you!
Picking the winnersE
81 don't believe l quite catch your
hn ft,r
collar and cuffs good naturedly.
His questioner grinned.
"Ah. come off" he said banteringly.
Il mean are you mailing the babes that
are getting over the plate tirst?'
"Still," said the man with the fur
trimmed overcoat, 81 think l fail to
apprehend you"
"Oh, quit your joshing," said his seat
mate Are you playing the ponies that
are running at San Francisco or at
New Orleans, and how're you making
out"
ooh, now l think 1 understand you"
said the man with the fur trimmed
overcoat, beaming. ''The running
horses, 1 take it, you allude to? Well,
l am not playing them as you put it,,
at all"
Passed the game up, eh?" said his
seat mate.
"Well, can't say that have, really,
seeing that l never did engage in the
practice Of wagering money on horse
| races" said the man with the fur trim
med overcoat quite amiably. Its a
practice of which scarcely approve"
His seat mate pulled out a flask and
offered it to the smooth faced genial
! looking man.
"IIit this up. It's the right goods" "
| he said cordially.
81 think not" said the man with the
fur trimmed overcoat quite beamingly.
aside from the fact that I've just eat
en-, don't use spirits in any form"
"Ah, say, pal, cut out that stringing,"
said his seat mate. Anybody could see
that you're dead game, all right, by
your make up. Like to join In a little
game of hearts or seven up or even 10
cent limit poker just to pass the time
away? l can soon get bunch OF fell
| lows together"
We'll" said the man with the fur
collar and cuffs, Il hardly think so to-
day. | never play cards"
Say, now l know you're a kidder,"
| said his seat mate. You don't eX-
pect me to swallow a coin like that, do
| yOu-that you don't ever hit up the old
red eye or juggle the pasteboards or
mt Of oh hn
! ponies when you've got a front on
| you like that-man with a coat like
| you're wearing"
The man with the suspected over
! coat smiled
MY friend" said he, permit me to
put you right. l am a minister of the
| gospel, and / live in Baltimore. Ny
own overcoat was stolen from me in q
hotel in Philadelphia yesterday and
one of my Philadelphia friends who
| is somewhat addicted to things of this
[ world loaned me the oyercOat you now
| see me wearing until-I can have an
! other one made. Tut, tut! No harm
done. Don't mention it! Here are my
| card and the address of the church in
| Baltimore of which | am rector, and if
at any time you should feel like re-
newing your spiritual strength while
you are sojourning in Baltimore
should be delighted to have you call
upon me. Er-cOme to think Of it,
my cardcase was in the overcoat that
was stolen from me. But never mind
You shall find me whenever you feel
disposed to seek the consolation of re-
! ligion, and'-
But Nat Goodwin's seat mate had al.
ready fled in dismay into the coach
whence he had come, and the comedian
unfolded a dramatic weekly and was
soon imbedded in the doings Of the
stage.-BOston Herald.