The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-01-03

him profuscly, and said that he would
not accept a fare, but that it was
absolutely necessary for him to get
downtown as quickly as possible. The
passenger paid his fare and slipped
the 90 cents change into his pocket.
Caleb rather expected the 20 cents
back, but he wouldn't have spoken
of it for 90 times the amount. Pres
emily the passenger walked over and
took a seat by Caleb. 81 want your
card" he said to the tailor.
ooh, that's nothing" said Caleb;
"got in a fix Id that on a car myself
once"
"1insist upon having your address"
said the stranger. land won't feel
comfortable unless you give it to me-"
Caleb pulled ont a rather soiled card
giving his name and the location Of
his dingy little shop. The passenger
thanked him, put it in his pocket, but
made no movement TO return the 90
cents.
Caleb went lunchlcss that day be-
cause no delinquent customer came in
TO pay up, and though Caleb was a
lender he was no borrower. Not a
cent came in oil day. He walked
home that evening. Grief. but his
wife gave il to him. Calebwa always
truthful. lie told the tale Of his 25
cents and how he didn't get his change
back. His wifn called him an addle-
patcd fool, said that he'd been
swindled by a sharper, and the mean
est kind Of a sharper at that. because
he would s,oopfo stealing such a petty
amount. Caleb was told that no good
on earth could EVER come out Of what
he was pleased to call generosity.
Caleb fell asle,p TO his wifc's scold-
ings. but she was at ii again the next
morning. and told him that gcncr-
osity, like charity, should begin nt
home. "Ncver so long as you live"
said shc. will you be able TO show me
a single return for your idiotic con-
duct"
A week passed. Caleb had not
thought much about the quarter af-
fair. lie was dimly conscious. how
ever. that he felt a little disappoint-
ment because the stranger whose face
he had liked and whose fare he had
paid had not returned the loaned
money. 1t wasn't the quarter, but
Caleb hated TO have his judgment Of
human nature 60 astrpy. lie would
have given the quarter even If the man
had had a villainous face. but this
was one instance where Caleb was
really hurt to think that he had made
a mistake in the reading Of human ma
turc. Some III h thought as this was
running in his mind when the door
opened, Caleb looked up from his
goose. There stood the mar whose
car fare he had paid and who had for.
gotten TO return the change.
Good morning. Mr.. Billings" he
said. II was called out Of town with
in an hour after ] left the car the
other morning. and this is the first
chance I've had to see you. %llcre's
your 90 cents change. slipped il in
my pocket from pure force Of habit
instead Of giving il to YOU. Besides
that, ! am absent minded. ! under
stand, Mr.. Billings, that you were
once cutter for Lamprey d Co., the
great custom %tailors. ! am also told
that YOU were the best cutter they had.
They have always made my clothes
and those Of my children. need q
large wardrobe. Winter is coming on.
You may measure me for Two winter
oyercoats, a driving coat and two
suits, n sack and one getaway. l
see that double-breastcd frocks are
going out. So I'll need a new single.
breasted one. And, by the way, | need
a new Tuxedo and a new dress suit. |
was going 10 order all these just
round the corner, 50 no thanks.
please. OF course. you'll need money
10 get the material. Here's $500. III
scnd my boys into be measured to-
morrow"
Three weeks later Caleb Billing.
handed his wife $3.50, clean and lie.
climate profit on the clothes he had
made for the family Of the man whose
EAR fare he had paid. Mrs. Billing,
grabbed the money a Bit guttonou,ly.
"Calcb." she said, "when this mar
came into the shop first what did h,
do!"
"lIe gave me the 20 cents chang.
-. II - - e.