Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-02-21
The POINT
OF view

"a queer thing happened on the
train this morning. said the commu-
ter to his wife. 81 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 optimist The optimist did
most of the talking.
"'The average man. said he, is
honest I will prove it to you right
now. There are at least so 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, 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. 1
have in my pocket a scarfpin that l
have never worn. I only bought 1t
yesterday and am taking it to town to-
day to give to my wife's nephew as
birthday present. Now, am willing
to give the impression that I found 1t
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 op-
timist, if anybody in this car has lost
anything recently?'
1.-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 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 a watch
charm, somebody else bunch of keys
and another signet ring. Presently
a man sitting near the middle of the
ear jumped up and said:
"By George, have lost my scarf
pin
"What kind of a pin was it?' asked
the optimist.
"Tt was an opal set in gold hand
of peculiar Egyptian workmanship,
was the reply.
''The optimist nearly dropped.
els this it?' he asked, and lowed
his own scarfpin.
"It is said the man, and he took
the pin.
1.-THE optimist was disheartened. He
had lost a valuable pin and his faltn
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
suueal. You've agreed to let the fell
low keep the pin, and you're in honor
bound to do it; but I'd demand an
explanation if l were you. The cir
cumstances are really remarkable,
and that much is due you
1.-THE optim;st 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 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. He did not
get mad.
"'Sir,' he said, when it came his
| time to talk, perhaps | am not such
| villain as you think. l could de-
scribe this pin because it belongs to
me- | lost it five years ago. l have
been looking for it ever since.
knew that | should find it some time.
In all these years, whenever l heard
| of man finding anything, I have but
ted in with a description of that pin,
| hoping that he might have it. | have
been particularly anxious to get it in
| the last two years. l am married
now, and I want to get the opal set
| Ill q llLS III LILY WIZ. IhdAh Ou
for returning it to me-.
The optimist listened, but he was
not convinced.
81 now understand the situation,
he said, but 1 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
it 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."
81 am surprised" said the commuters
wife, that there should be any disa-
greement. Of course, it belonged to
Diogenes. The ethics of the case are
as plain as pikestaff to anybody
except that young man."
Thanks" said the commuter.
"That was the point l wanted your
opinion on"
There was a brief silence Pres
emily the commuters wife looked at
her husbands flushed face, at his
| wilted collar, and the tie beneath.
why, where did you get that pin ?'
she asked. 81 never saw it before.
An opal set in gold hand-well, upon
my world You don't mean to say
yes said the commuter, q do.
I wanted the opal for you, but since
you think l have no right to it.
"Oh," said the commuters wife.
that's different"