The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-10-24
THE POINT
OF view

"A queer thing happened on the
train this morning. said the commu
ter to his wife Il am going to put the
situation to you and see what you
think of it.
AT Caldwell two men began to ar
que on the general cussedness Of hui
man nature. One was a pessimist, the
other an optmist The optimist did
most of the talking.
THE average man said he, is
honest. | will prove it 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 We're,
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 optmist,
have in my pocket a scarfptn that
have never worn. only bought it
yesterday and am taking it to town to-
day to give to my wife's nephew as n
birthday present. Now, am willing
to give the impression that | found it
iii this car. If anybody has nerve
enough to claim it he may have it.
The cynic agreed 70 these condi-
tons and the porter was called.
Will you ascertain said the OPP
timist. if anybody in this car has lost
anything recently"
The porter walked up ana down
the aisle and bawed out at The top
of his voice:
Lost property found-lost proper
ty found Who does it 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 a bunch OF Keys
and another a signet ring. Presently
a man sitting near the middle of the
car jumped up and said:
by George, | have lost my scarf
pin
What kind of pin was it,? asked
the optimist.
ct was an opal set in a gold hand
Of peculiar Egyptian workmanship,
was the reply.
THE optimist nearly dropped.
els this it?' he asked, and showed
his own scarfpin.
at is said the man, and he took
the pin.
"The optimist was disheartencd. lie
had lost a valuable pin and his faith
in the honesty Of mankind at the same
time, and the dor bic blow was enough
to floor him. II cynic, although Sc
cretly delighted. vas puzzled.
"Of course" IaId he, you cant
squeal. You've agreed to let the TEL
low keep the pin, and you're in honor
bound to do it: but I'd demand an
explanation If | wsre you. The cir
cumstances 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 mat you
are an 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 conversation with
the cynic The young man listened
with keen appreciation lie did not
get mad.
Sir, he said. when It came his
time to talk, perhaps ! am not such
villain as you think. could de-
scribe this pin because IL 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,
hopihs that he might have It. have