Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-27
The POINT
OF view

~ IA QuCcl fthih6 h0PPSASN 40 NAS
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 IL.
Sat Caldwell two men began to ar
que on the general ~cussedness OF hi
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 it to you right
now. There are at least 80 men in
this car, and not one OF them, I ven
ture to say, will claim anything that
does not belong to him.
1.-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 l
have never worn. 1 only bought 1t
yesterday and am taking 1t to town to-
day to give to my wife's nephew as a
birthday present. Now, / am willing
to give the impression that / found it
In this car. If anybody has nerve
enough to claim it he may have it.
"The cynic agreed to these condi-
lions 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 and down
the aisle and bawled out at the top
| of his voice:
"Lost property found-lost proper
ty found. Who does 1t belong 10!
This gentleman has it.
Everybody looked through his
pockets and several persons claimed
to be poorer thai when they left home.
Three had lost money, n a watch
charm, somebody else a bunch of keys
and another a signet ring. Presently
a mar sitting near the middle of the
car jumped up Inc said:
"'By George, I have lost my scarf
pin
what kind Of a pin was it?' asked
the optimist.
TT was an opal set in a gold hand
OF peculiar Egyptian workmanship
was the reply.
''The optimist nearly dropped.
els this ft?' he asked, and showed
his own scArfpin.
est is said the man, and he took
the pin.
'"The optimist was disheartened. He
had lost a valuable pin and his fa1tn
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.
"tOf course" said he, you cant
squeai. You've agreed to let the fell
low keep the pin. and you're in honor
bound @ do it.; but I'd demand an
explanation II / were 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 IL
no need for me to tell you that you
are an internal rascal. You know that
as we'll as / do. You are aware that
that pin does not belong to you. What
l would like to know is how you were
able to describe it so accurately
"Then the optfmist proceeded to
relate his previous conversation with
the cynic. The young man listened
with keen appreciation. He did not
get mad.
"iSir,' 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-. I lost 1t five years ago. / have
been looking for it ever since. I
knew that l should find 1t some time.
In all these years, whenever I heard
of a man finding anything, l have but
ted in with a description of chat pin,
hoping that he might have it. l have
been particularly anxious to get it in
the last two years. l am married
now. and I want to get the opal set
In q ring for my wife. I thank you
for returning it to me,
The optimist listened, but he vas
not convinced.
"T now understand the situation
he said, but l still think you are a
rascal. In my opinion you have no
| right to that pin. I bought it yester-
day in good faith, and I consider that
1t 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 disa-
greement- OF course. it belonged to