The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-27
much too fat and too commonplace to enjoy
his poetical books

Circumstances duplicate themselves so
often in such curious ways that the aver
age man might well make frequent resolu-
tions against hasty deci-
Money sion.
Episode. Yesterday I had a very
remarkable money expert
ence." said a merchant to a man who had
just asked him what he knew "As / left
my door, somewhat early in the morning,
stuffed a new 50 bill half in and half out of
my vest pocket. intending to buy my morn
ing paper and some cigars at the nearest
drug store A little way in the second block
I felt for the bill and it was not there Turn
mig shortly around to look for it, as I knew
it could not be very far away. 1 saw boy
about eleven years old. half a block behind
me, stoop and pick up something. 1 walked
straight back towards him and stopped:
Did you pick up 81 just now?' asked
not doubling at all but that he had found
my bill.
No, sir the somewhat shabby boy an
swered L picked up this old key at the
same time showing me a rusty old door
key. In the hand which held the key, how
ever, noticed some mohey-brand new pa
per money.
you've got money in your hand said!
Yes. sir the boy answered, spreading
out new 81 bill. precisely like the one 1
had just lost.
I've been all winter earning this money
for skates he said. and I'm going down
town now to buy them
THE lads air was so manly. and his face
SO frank and clear" the story teller con-
tinued, that 1 could not openly accuse him,
although my mind did accuse him; it
seemed too peculiar that, just at that time
and place. he should have new 81 bill and
it not be the one which 1 had just lost 1
apologized for OBTAINING him, hoped he
would like his new skates and went on
towards my home. The street was empty;
and in the middle of the next block, just
as 1 had decided again that the boy must
have picked up my money-there lay my
new 81 bill. Wasn't that queer-nOw,
wasn't it?"
And the man who heard the story said
that 1T most decidedly was queer.
When suburban cars get out towards the
end of the line the passengers who are few
er in number by that time, become more
friendly and talkative,
The DeSenera- especially if they are
ton of Coal. men. The other night.
among little remain
der cluster of men, on an outbound car,
was a tall. fine-loOking, long, gray-bearded
man, elderly and evidently of farmer and,
perhaps, of Old-sOldier stock. AS the wealth
or was keen. the conversation turned on coal
and the price of coal. The old cOuntryman
stroked his silver beard and grumbled quite
long time, in a strong, positive voice,
about the high price of coal of all kinds
This is a troublesome age to be alive in he
said; wood was so scarce and so high there
was nothing earth, in the line of fuel
to compare with the old-fashioned blazing
log fire. At his fathers house the big back
log for the open fireplace used to be hauled
in by horse; the horse would walk right
in one door of the cabin on the puncheon
floor, dragging the big log by a chain, and
then be driven right out the other door Coal
is too high. nowadays. the old gentleman
continued, and it is no account, anyhow.
Since natural gas has been all drawn out of
the ground. it has left the coal so dry that
it isn't worth paying for. 1t won't burn
good or blaze UP like old-f shioned coal,
and il doesn't throw out half as much heat
as coal used 10 do before meddlesOme people
discovered natural gas and extracted il all
from the coal.
Nobody undertook to argue with the old
time gentleman and he left the car main
tanning that natural gas had been the ruin
OF cOal-it wasn't worth shucks.