University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-03-10

chance. However. the station was
crowded; the train was about to
pull out: and-well. perhaps, he
spent the money. 1t is so hard to
keep count of the cost of what one
buys.
This is what happened. however.
Everyone vas in rush. The train
bell changed. A well-dressei man
stepped quickly up to John.
Can you change five for me-
he asked. II want to get change
for ticket"
The man held a bill fully spread
out. holding one end in each hand
1t was five as plain as day. John
liked to be obliging. He reached in
his pocket for the change. In a
quite natural way the we.l-dressed
mans hands came together. the tip
of each finger of the right hand
meeting the tip of the like fingers of
the left. The hands went back and
| forth impatiently several times As
the hands met the bill was crumpled
Then. finally, the crumpled roll was
| caught under the thumb of the left
hand. The right thumb slid down
the left palm, and from between the
second and third fingers it took
nicely crumpled one-dollar bill. The
five was put in its place.
John brought out and passed the
change. He put the bill rendered
him in his pocket. What was the
need to look at it? He already knew
its worth. Even if he had noticed
the fraud and made squeal the
| well-dressed man would have
knocked him silly for the imputa-
ton. He would have said that John
had pocketed the five and was try
ing to bluff him out of four dollars.
Besides. the bystanders would have
been appealed to. Had they not seen
the five? But the train was pulling
out anu JoIiu W tdttU
John had some more trouble on
that trip. True. when he boarded
the train and counted his money in
the lavatOry as all cautious men do.
he found he was little short His
confidence in men was still strong.
though: and when man rushed
/ into his car and asked for change
for ten that he might get sand
wich from kid outside. John VOL
unteered with the necessary money
| The man asking the change was
bare-headed and without a fellow
traveller. Joan handed him the
! change. The bare-headed man grab
bed it and dropped the bill he want
ed changed. John picked it up-a
one-dollar bill: The train was on
its way and the bare-headed man
back with the sandwich kid.
Poor John this was plain robbery.
No wonder he took to drink. A nice
man said he knew place in the next
town where booze could be had for
half price since he was acquainted
with the bartender. John and half
dozen others Clipped in. The train
stopped and would be standing yet
had it waited for the man with the
bartender friend to come back. John
was sorry for the man because he
had missed the train.
John went to the circus He
bought ticket in front of one of the
tents and offered a five dollar bill
Te man at the window took it. and
put it in long tray with a lot of
other bills. John could swear he
never lost sight of it. He watched
his money now. The man looked at
his silver. He picked up bill of
course. it was Johns own. although
the ticket seller picked it up a little
quicker than was necessary. He
handed the bill to John. saying as
he did so:
My change is short. Pay NE
when you come out from the show"
What a fine man that was, John
was fattered with the confidence
placed in him. He put the bill in his
pocket and got out of the way of the
crowd clamOring for tickets. He
found later that he had paid four dol
lars for his admission. That man who
had trusted him so had made a mis-
take and given him One-dollar bill
instead of his five. IL was all right.
however. When the show was over
he went back to the ticket window,
but the nice man was gone. and the
fellow who was there could do moth
ing for him. although he was very
sorry for the mistake. John still
thinks he will get his money back if
he can only find that ticket seller