Life — October 24, 1895 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HE looked a bit hard up but he had a pleasant face and smooth address as he walked into the office of a New York railroad running West and asked for the president. When conducted to that official's desk he began : “+ T want the favor of a passto Buffalo,” “Can't have it,” was the prompt reply. “TL expected that answer, and am prepared for it, I did not come here with a tale of woe. I have not been I did not lose money on the street. 1 am not obliged to rush home to see my wife die. I am not a con- sumptive who is anxious to get home and dieamong friends. These pleasare old.” “Yes, very old and thin.” “And yet I want a pass to Buffalo. 1 feel that I have a right to ask it.” “On what grounds?” “This morning I saved the life of a passenger on one of your transfer boats. He was a big red-whiskered man named Clark. Had he gone overboard it would have cost you perhaps $50,000 to settle the claim.” “Clark? Big man with red whiskers? Wretched man, you know net what you did! That is the man who has already got a claim for $20,000 against us for breaking his leg. If you had only let him go overboard we cculd have settled with his heirs for less than a quarter of that amount, Go out—go away. You have taken thousands of dollars out of our pockets by your meddlesome act. Go right away if you don't want to be put in the cell with Garvey.” The beat walked out without a word, but as he reached the door he was heard to grumble : “Tthought I was the best liar on the Atlantic coast, but I might as well hang up from this deal. not in it with Chauncey."— Texas Siftings. Iv is not quite safe to criticise Ameri- cans in the “higher circles” of British society, unless the critic has studied thoroughly the pedigree of those whom he addresses. So many American girls nowadays are becoming a part of the “effete” aristocracy of the Old World ! Not long ago, ata reception given in Rome at the British Embassy, an Italian baron, who was presented to the Duchess of Manchester, sighed deeply, as with relief, and said to her: “Ah! How glad I am to get away from those Americans there! We come across them everywhere, don't we, duchess ?- You can’t imagine how happy 1am to converse with you—there is such accntrast between the mannersof English and American women ! The duchess let him go on as long as he liked in this way, and then said, with a gracious smile : Perhaps you are right, baron: but < myself an American, I am no doubt incapable of judging.” The baron wished that the floor would swallow him up, and reflected that he should have known, as every one else did, that the Duchess of Manchester was a New Vorker.— Youti's Companion. EXHIBITION AND SALE OF ORIGINAL DRAWINGS C. D. GIBSON, October 23d to November 7th, AT THE GALLERIES OF FREDERICK KEPPEL & CO., - - 20 East 16TH StReer. comicbooks.com