The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16

was bafled as | watched. / became con-
WINGED against my previous impression
that the boy really could not find his money.
"On he went, patiently, deliberately,
turning his pockets inside out. Once the
conductor started TO growl at him, but
the lad kept steadily on and the grumblings
ceased. Never a word did the boy utter.
when he had reached his last pocket
for the second time he simply sat back
in his seat and waved his two hands out
ward, with his empty palms up, and looked
ut the conductor distressfully.
"1he urchin's face was almost sad as II
he dreaded an impending calamity-that
Of being put of and made to walk to his
destination, and in spite of myself | felt
my sympathy with him rising. As the
conductor hesitated | found my right hand
lingering the change in my pocket, and l
suppose If the man OF fares had ordered
the boy Of ] would have stepped into the
breach with my nickel. But the conductor
was convinced the boy was honest and
walked of without a word down the car.
"The minute the conductor turned his
back, my original suspicious returned, and
] couldn't for the life Of ms tell you why,
unless it was a subtle something which
had told me-one Of those first impressions
which are so often corrcct-that the boys
shifty eyes hid some moral unhealthiness.
So | kept my eye fixed on the boy.
"For a minute and more he gazed straight
ahead Of him, wrinkling his brow as If try
ing to think where he could have lost his
money. ] became convinced that he knew
| was looking at him, although he did not
look my way for a full minute. He felt
nv ewes on him, and realizing that he did
| never took them away.
AT last he turned them my way, and
shifted them instantly, he did this once
or twice, and then, seeing ] would not re-
move my gaze, after a little more chafing
the boy in him asserted itself, his joy
at having fooled the conductor became
dominant, and turning stealthiiy toward
his companion his eyes lit up with an in
his lips frame the words:
81 didn't lose II"
Did | tell the conductor? No. l am
sorry TO say did not. | was SO dunn
founded at what | had feared all along
was the truth and was 30 deep in my mus
inGs upon it, that tho boys got out before
| realized il.
well. i went with my wife that evening
to a BIC progressive whist party. II was
a benefit for a hospital: There we're a
number Of prizes offered and they were
valuable, too; at least tho women seemed
TO think so.
Some al ihcm were clearly OUT 10 WIN
something. You could tell which ones
thew We're. too. They usually had bright
red spots in the middle Of each cheek, and
when they laughed they did II with an odd
nervousness. They laughed too much,
hut they kept their eyes on the cards.
Il noticed one young woman in partic-
ular. She has generations Of decorous
and high-minded men and women behind
her. That girl wanted a prize badly, end
luck seemed to be against her.
Finally one Of the oveTworked m,stresses
of ceremonies, in going about punching
tho cards Of the successful players. was
called of suddenly and CaIelessly laid her
punch down on a tbale. That girl arose,
strolled over to the table, laid her hand
upon il. and moved her fingers along until
they closed upon the punch. She was
leaning over talking to some friends all
the TINA.
Presently she strolled of to a corner
and ] followed, bound to see the thlng out.
There ! saw her hold up her card, count
the number of punches on it, do a little
mental calculating and then calmly punch
enough holes in her card to insure a prize.
with a sweet smile she strolled back
to the table and laid the punch down, just
in time. for the woman who had left II came
along an instant later inquiring II any one
had seen her punch.
There IL IL over there, dear, SAID my
lady. You %oughtn't TO be 70 careless.