Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-07-12
ONCE WAS ENOUGH
New Yorker Tells Why It Is Not
Safe to Be Polite.
Man Gives Reason for Refusing to
Assist Strange Woman; Offering
Shelter From Rain Almost
Caused Arrest as Masher.


was leaving an uptown, Manhat-
tan, bank when encountered a
friend at the door. julius Chambers
writes in the Brooklyn Eagle. A show
er had occurred while l had been In
side rain was falling quite smartly,
and as we stood under the glerS
ing handsomely attire Z"
emerged from the bank and b. ~ 90
run across the pavement to a taxicab
that awaited her My friend still held
aloft dripping umbrella; l had none.
why don't you go to the aid of
that woman and save her from wet
ting her gown?" l exclaimed. child
ingly.
Wouldn't do it for a hundred dol
lars!" was his immediate rejoinder.
There was emphasis about the
words that guaranteed sincerity.
THAT sounds like story" said I;
come into the hotel next door and
tell it."
We went; and here Is the expe-
rience: In these days when mash
ers" are so frequently arrested for
insulting women 1t presents an in
teresting picture of misunderstood
man and hysterical woman.
About ten days ago was leaving
the bank next door-where have had
an account for twelve years-when a
woman emerged behind me. 1t was
a rotten day! A cold, misty rain was
falling; the sidewalk was deep with
sliish AS was raising an umbrella
! carried l noticed that the woman
was looking about for the tall porter
in livery who usually stands at the
entrance to the bank. For some rea
son the man was absent.
I'm the most thoughtless manner, j
offered my services to call a cab.
She said nothing, which l accepted as
acquiescence; motioned to a taxi
chauffeur waiting hundred feet up
the street, In minute he was In
front of the bank and had the door of
his vehicle open. held the umbrella
over the woman and took step to-
ward the cab.
'At that moment policeman. en-
veloped in rubbers, came sauntering
along and, to my Mortified amaze
ment. the stranger touched him upon
the arm, as she said in voice that
would have chilled the piety OF
saint.
"'oficer, arrest this man! He has
insuited mel
''The policeman looked at me, saw
agely; but mustered courage to say
The lady is mistaken; was about
to render her service!'
ARREST him, sayr fairly scream
ed the woman; he wanted me to get
into a cab with him!'
Then l got angry. AS the police
man was about to take me by the
arm said: 'sThis is an internal out.
rage Bring this woman into the
bank, where l am known to all its
officers. / will convince you there is
a serious mistake.
"You can understand what an ar.
rest on such a charge would have
have meant to me. In my minds eye
/ saw an account OF my arrest In all
the newspapers. arrested as mash
er--one of those contemplate crea.
lures that go about scraping acquaint
ances with womenl was in cold
perspiration, but the very gravity o.
my position kept me cool led the
way into the hank and to the presi.
dents room. stated the case. Ths
woman made her statement, omittine
the charge that wanted to get into
the cab with her. which, of course
was bit OF Imagination. referred
to that part of her charge and de
manded to know why she had made
1t. She didn't knowAadmitted thai
the only words l had used we're Can
be of service?'
"She was the wife of successful
tradesman, and at that uncertain pc
riod of a woman's life in which she
imagines all sorts OF things. She ad
mitted she wanted cab and, as
had OWNED, was looking for the por.
ter to have one called. kept my
temper, but never felt more angry
The bank president told her who
was and that she was mistaken. The
woman did not apologize. but flounc
ed out, saying she had taught me a
lesson. Indeed she hadl No more
courtesies to women unknown to me-
Change In Habits.
Lovely lady drifted into congress
sional conversation the other after
,,o<,, ,nd rrf,,anthv yVondrun told NJ