Evening star., 1903-10-03
A PROVOKING HABIT

Both Of the men svere middle-aged. One
was paunchy and econtented-looking. the
other lean and alert They live in the same
neighborhOod out infEckington. Their con-
versation. on thefrsar platform of the out
bound lexington scar, began amicably
enough. ss,-sc
'Sumptuous fall weather. eh?" said the
fat man. shifting the brisk air enjoyably.
"One things certain, and that Is that we
haven't had any too much"
Rain this faN." finished out the lean
man. That's aifact The fall equinoctial
storms must ha' been side-tracked some
where" Gsff r.
Fellow hates to be cooped up in an office
on days like these" said the fat man.
Feels more like
Spending all of the time between meals
out In the open air. inhaling chunks OF
ozone-thats right" cut in the lean man.
Ticking the ashes from his cigar. Air s
soaked with ozone Just now"
The fat man remained quiet for little
while. So
Surprising number of neat-looking little
houses to let along the line. eh?" he began
again after the pause 1T would seem as
II the Washington folks are all moving
into" '-a
Flats" broke in the lean man. That s
right-all hands seem to have the fiat bug
here in Washington nowadays. Don't see
why, either. Can't see em myself. TOO
much like playing at housekeeping. Want
some kind of yard for mine. no matter
how dinky it is" ,r
"Well." said the fat man, there's one
thing about these fats that counts nova
days. and that is that in the cold weather
the flatters don't have to buy
j "Coal-thats true enough" cut in the lean
man. but there's not much chance or
there being another coal strike this COM
ing winter, and. anyhow, they tell me that
living a tS ha time irving
to keep warm the furnaces that don't work
and steam heat that doesn't heat
The fat man began to gaze slant-wlse, out
of the corner of his eye. at his companion.
1t was apparent that the thing of having
the words taken out of his mouth was be-
ginning to rattle him some. The car went
several squares before he opened up again.
Was talking with New York fellow
about the coming municipal election down
at the office today" he said then. "and ne
said that the -"
"Fusionists haven't got half such a cinch
as they think they have" broke in the lean
man. Heard the same thing myself couple
days ago-man who's on the inside told me
that Tammany's prospects looked great.
Say said the fat man, turning around
and facing the lean man, what the dickens
out of a mans mouth the way you do?
Don't you s'pose / know how to"
Talk? Sure thing you do" said the lean
man. g 'Scuse me, old man. Go ahead"
Well started the fat man, slightly mol
lifted, Il going to say that this man
down at the Office told me that Low is
Mighty unpopular with the hustlers-the
fellows that go out and yank the votes.
put in the lean man. Guess that's right.
too-sort of a chilly proposition, Low, per-
sonally. He
There you go again with that confound-
ed annoying habit of yours burst out the
fat man. in tone of complete exaSpera-
ton. Il should think you'd cut out that
Mind readng-thinking too blamed fast
that's right Sa te thel lean man, apologetc-
ally. Scuse me again.
ITS an infernaliy zaggravating thing to
be constantly-aH 90
interrupted when you're talking-know
1t is. You were saying?'
II wasn't saying anything. but I'll say
right now that!yOu ma ke me"
'Tired-uh- -huii--s'pese do. when 1t comes
to that. Can't help; it. though y can't
teach an old dog new tricks. hey?
law. you give me "a
Pain Hope It doesn't hurt much.
though" 10 Il
'If I was as achinny as you are I'd go
Head. No you wouldn't though You'd
find it too inconvenient. Let's forget it."
Go hire a-'s is
Hall. Too expensive
For two cents I'd knock YOUR
BLOCK off. But be nice. now-be nicer'
you've got to be Irregular wind"
"Mill. Well. maybe I have. Sorry"
I'D like to hand you a few, but here's s
my"
Corner. Well. s'long. old man. Be
good"
The fat man swung off the platform
with an angry flush his face. and then
stood in his tracks and shook his fist fierce
ly at the grinning lean man with the inter-
rupttng habit.
at would be worth ten dollars of any
mans money" bawled the fat man as the
car started again, ito give such a poll par
rot. unmannerly chatterer as you burned
good"
Licking" sung back the lean man
through the funnel that he made Of his
hands.
Several of the other men standing on the
rear platform ached to punch the lean man,
but it wasn't their funeral. of course and
they took 1t out In scowlings They
showed by their manner, though, that
they'd all been lashed to fury, a some .:me
or another, by the imbeciles with the habit
of taking words out of other people s
mouths. and they all went into the car SO
that they wouldn't have to ride any further
with the irritating lean man.