Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-09
WHEN MEMORY SLIPS A COG
Quaint oaPsrs Of People Afflicted With
Absent indsdnsss.
PRINCES OF COMEDY on THE SERIOUS
why one Man Objected 20 BObtaiI
Car-An Ams Fire scene-The
Man who Rode 90 BOstOn
fn His own vestibuIe.

when something loosens the little screw
that holda the link connecting the past and
the present the mental machinery In
SANITY begins TO run in a most irresponsible
manner. Nor does nature provide any
borewdriver for tightening up the trouble
some break. 80 letters continue TO lie un-
mailed in husbands pockets and buttons
remain unseved on mems shirts. all be-
cause people are victims Of the "I-forgOt"
habit.
A New Yorker was entertaining an out
of-town man, and as they started down
town the host hailed q Fifth avenue stage.
The guest drew back. declining to enter the
vehicle. and the host signaled the driver to
go on. looking the while in establishment
at his guest.
You will pardon me-" exclaimedthe lat
ter. flushing. but l never ride in that kind
Of a conveyance, nor In q bobtail car"
This statement struck the New Yorker
as absurd. for right well he knew that in
hk friends town were employed the very
bobtailed cars discarded by New York
Then how do you get around at homer"
81 walk. ! have made a rule never to
ride In a car which has no conductor
aboard."
"Ah. then It IL q matter OF principle.
You do not propose 70 do the company's
work for It gratis"
mo. / do not" he answered, with q pc
culiar expression on his face. His whole
attitude was so reserved that, after find
Ing the cable or electric cars 10 his salts
faction. his host dropped the subject.
Trying On n Novel Hat.
But later In the day his eyes we're opened.
Thav koA ar1nnad gufn tho rIuk -har, sha
out-of-town man had seen much that in
terested him. and as they left he seemed
somewhat preoecupied. His host selected
and handed him his umbrella and waited
for him to put on his hat Very gravely
he lifted q silver card receiver, and, talk
ing the while on another topic. deliberately
inverted Il upon his head. totally uncon-
scious Of the extraordinary proceeding.
He seemed to realize. hoewver, that the at
was not perfect. and by a more careful ad-
Iustment finally settled Il to his satisfac-
ton and would have proceeded into the
street had his attention not been called TO
the matter. He laid the receiver on the
stand. took his hat and without f~altering
q word in the conversation, walked down
the steps.
Later. the New Yorker met the wife Of
his guest. and his curiosity led him to in
quire into the secret Of the mans dislike
for stages and bobtail cars. Her explana-
ton was given with twinkling eyes.
Just between ourselves. I'll tell you why.
II was when those cars first made their
appearance in our town. He boarded one
to go TO his once. presently an old woman
sat down beside him and handed him her
nickel. with the request that he pass Il
along to the box. In a few minutes there
~aa q oraaf rttnnara ana rfnCfnO ~ fha hall
which indicated thai someone was endeav-
oring TO ride free. The passengers looked
from one to the other in an effort to spot
the contemplate person. Then the door
opened and the driver. putting his head in
side. yelled; s.
VIII that woman. there. please pay her
fareY" :
II gave II to this man. and he stole Il.
I saw him put 1t into his own pocket"
my husband disEorged the nickel and
ned from the car. In a few days he came
TO me with the request that ! sew up his
pockets. as in a At Of observation-disclosures
he had repeated the embarrassing per-
formAnee. ! did as requested, but nothing
was accomplished. The next time he was
on the cars a woman gave him a half dol
lar to have changed. Failing to get Il into
his pockets. he slipped It inside his trousers
at the top. Ever since then he has
walked"
An Emergency Sandwich.
During the national convention Of 1880 the
old exposition building in Chicago did not
accommodate one-tenth OF the people who
were eager to get inside the walls. In or
der to avoid the terrible crush people took
their position at e o'clock In the morning.
When the convection opened much later
than was Anticipated the house was abso-
luteiy solid with humanity. and IL was just
a. impossible TO get out as II was TO get In.
As NO adjournment was taken at noon. many
tainted from the heat and hunger. Some
sandwich men succeeded in crawling along
the ~rafters. and by wrapping their wares In
paper would throw a parcel where . person
held his hands TO catch. Payment was put
In the paper and returned in like manner.
At best the food was not inviting, a great
hunk OF ham fat between two thick slabs OF
sour bread. One lady whose escort had Sc
cured after great effort one Of these danties
was in a ~auandary. She did not wish to Of
fend the giver. who had taken so much
trouble. but 10 eat 1t was utterly out OF the
question. She looked around for some
means Of disposing OF the obnoxious object,
~ the same time leaving the impression
that she had consumed II with a relish.
The floor could not be reached. 50 tightly
vas abe wedged about. Then came a happy
thought Her pocket, She wrapped the
sandwich in her handkerchief and stored Il
away In the friendly receptacle.
IL vas between 8 aud : when the eonven-
ton adjourned. and as the party. who were
from out Of town. had a box for the theateI
that evening. they dined at a nearby res
taurant a~fterward attending the play