The Washington bee., 1903-02-07
HUMAN NATURE TEST
Would Mans Second Life Be Bettes
Than His First!
Eew York Sage Comes to the cORoIu.
sion That We Would Do Just as
Before If we Were in tke
same Place.


"You hear men talking about what
they would do if they could live their
lives over again." said a man who
poses for a sage in the hotel where
he lives uptown to a New York Sun
reporter. Here is an experience
which makes me have doubts on the
subject.
Il went back to the country where
grew up, and which l left 40 years
ago. The first thing l did after l
had been in the old town a few
hours was to go down TO Jim Sims
place.
Jim was the first Scot 1 ever
knew. He was an old seaman. He
was the first man TO introduce tho
Scotch game of shuffie-board in the
old town. He taught me the game.
Jim was not at the old place when
| went back He had been dead Is
years. However, played shuttle, the
first time in many years, and 1 did
other things which go with the game.
! and went out of the place, as l had
gone Out of it years before.
''The next day went up to the
| old courthouse where the boys used
to loaf in summer. / clambered up
| into the cupOla and went outside,
and looked down upon the old hills
and valleys
"Not far away was the old hill
/ bn
1t was gone, but the hill was white
with snow and the boys were coast
! ing as we used to coast.
Il borrowed a sled from a young
ster, and lying down belly-buster
| fashion I made a trip down the
track. as l used to do. 1t shook me
up bit, but | did it, ard, as in other
days, 1 narrowly escaped eolliding
with q wagon.
81 went into store where every
| one used to know me. It was ar
ranged very different from the old
store, but the fever was on me and
sat down on counter.
''The hoorwalker asked me where 1
came from. Itold him. he said that
nobody ever sat on a counter in thess
days.
"Wherever / went the old desire
10 do what / had done in the old
days came back upon me. 1t came
very near resulting in my undoing.
81 was passing by house where 1
used to go counting. The old house
was not changed very much, and the
first thing l knew | was at the dOoE
pulling the bell-knOb out its socket
1, A demure woman answered the ring.
| "'Is Miss Amanda at homer !
asked. That was the name of tho
girl used to go TO see III that home.
"The matron looked at me very
suspicioUsly and slammed the door
AS was passing down the walk the
man of the house overlook me and
demanded an explanation and an
apology.
81 finally explained who l was and
then the man asked me to go back.
which l did. He showed me around
the old place and l had a pleasant
visit. He was a pretty good fellow
after all. AS was leaving he said:
"T suppose you always kissed your
sweetheart in leaving?'
al told him he was all right on
telepathy.
"'Wen, he replied, there isn't any
girl here now for you to kiss. I am
doing all that business myself in this
establishment. But if you1l step
into my den we'll have a drink to-
gether.'
''His den was the room of Aman-
da's brother, and there he and I
used to go and make sneaks on his
fathers bottle.
"And now whenever / hear a man
talking about what he would do il
he could live his life over l conclude
that he would do just what he did
before if he were in the same place.
1 don't believe any of US would be
any better than we are, and prob
ably not as good.
'In leaving the old town saw an
: orchard that was familiar. The train
passed by it. But the inclination %
get into that orchard and steal fruit
came back upon me as strongly al
: It did when in other days I yielded
/ to it. felt like jumping from tbs
; train"
Mrs. Wassling-Did your husband
4 get anything from the railroad com.
r pany for the scalp wound he received
r when he was in the wreck?
S Mrs. Pembertone-No. The attOr,
4 ney of the road said it served him right
E for buying a scalper's ticket.-Judge.
UugeIfizh.