The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-10-08
the POINT
OF view

~
man nature. One was a pessimist, the
other an optimist The optimist did
most Of the talking.
THE average man., said he. Is
honest. will prove IL to you right
now. There are AT least 80 men In
this car, and not one OF them, ven
ture to say, will claim anything that
does not belong to him..
The cynic admitted that they were.
indeed, a pretty decent looking lot
Nevertheless, I'd advise you TO go
slow, he said. How do you propose
| to test them?
This way said the optimist. I
have In my pocket a scarfpin that
/ have never worn. | only bought ~
/ yesterday and am taking 1t to town to-
| day to give to my wife's nephew as
birthday present. Now. am willing
to give the impression that | found 1t
In this car. Ii anybody has nerve
enough to claim 1t he may have IT.
THE cynic agreed 10 these condi-
tons and the porter was called.
"'Will you ascertain said the op-
timist, If anybody in this car has lost
anything recently
The porter walked UP and down
the aisle and bawled out at the top
of his voice:
Lost property found--lost proper
ty found. Who does 1t belong to?
This gentleman has it,
Everybody looked through his
pockets and several persons claimed
to be poorer than when they left home.
Three had lost money. one watch
charm. somebody else bunch OF keys
and another signet ring. Presently
a man sitting near the middle or the
car jumped up and said:
by George, l have lost my scarf
pin
What kind of pin was it, asked
the optimist
cit was an opal set in gold hand
Of peculiar Egyptian workmanship.
was the reply.
The optimist nearly dropped.
lis this it, he asked and showed
his own scarfpin.
1t Is, said the man, and he TOOK
the pin.
THE optimist was disheartened He
had lost valuable pin and his faith
in the honesty of mankind at the same |
time. and the double blow was enough
to floor him. The cynic, although Sc
cretly delighted, was puzzled.
"'Of course" said he, you can't
squeal. You've agreed to let the Eel
low keep the pin, and you're In honor 1
bound to do 1t; but I'd demand an
explanation II were you The cir
cumstanees are really remarkable, |
and that much is due you
THE optimist thought so, too, SO
he went back and sat down beside the
man who had filched the pin.
"Sir. said the optimist, there is
no need for me to tell you that you
are az internal rascal. You know that
as well as | do. You are aware that
that pin does not belong to you. What
| would like TO know is how you were
able to describe it so accurately?'
Then the optimist proceeded to
relate his previous conveSsation with
the cynic. The young man listened
with keen appreciation. He did not
get mad.
Sir. he said when 1t came his
time to talk, perhaps I am not such
a villain as you think. | could de-
scribe this pin because 1t belongs to
me. lost it five years ago. have
been looking for it ever since. /
knew that / should find it some time.
In all these years, whenever | heard
Of a man finding anything, have but
ted in with a description of that pin,
hoping that he might have it. | have
been particularly anxious to get 1t in
the last two years. am married
now. and want to get the opal set
in a ring for my wife. ! thank you
for returning ii to me-
The optimist listened, but he was
not convinced.
81 now understand the situation
he said but I still think you are
rascal In my opinion you have no
right to that pin. | bought 1t yester-
day in good faith, and consider that
il belongs TO me-
Finally they submitted the ques-
ton to the rest of the men In the
car Opinion was divided. Some
thought the young man entitled to
the pin. others that Diogenes had the
best claim to it."
Il am surprised" said the commuters
wife. that there should be any dlsa-
greement OF course. II belonged to
Diogenes The ethics OF the case are
as plain as a pikestaf to anybody
except that young man"
Thanks" said the commuter. |
That was the point / wanted your
opinion on"
There was a brief silence. Pres
entity the commuters wife looked at
her husbands fushGd face. at his
gilted collar, and the tie beneath.
why. where did Y6sI get that pin7"
she asked. Il never saw it before.
An opal set in a gold hand-well. upon
my word. You don't mean to say"
Yes" said the commuter. Il do.
wanted the opal for you. but since
you think have no right to it"
oh" said the commuters wife.
that's different"