Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1902 — HE TESTED IT MIMSES. [ARTICLE]

HE TESTED IT MIMSES.

Ifovr a Man Proved that UiubielU.a Are Severe Temptations. “A friend of mine who is way up in sociology determined to test the honesty of his felow citizens by the umbrella method,” said the little man on the back platform. “Yes," said the man with the blue Waistcoat, "and how did be succeed?” ‘‘Pretty well,” said the little man. “He put the umbrella out on the sidewalk with tho handle leau’-hg ilp against the iron railing. It w r as a nicelooking umbrella with steel ribs and handle, and he felt that It would attract attention. He went back in the house and sat at a parlor "window with the curtains hiding him. Pretty soon along came a stout man and caught sight of the umbrella. He looked all around cautiously and then he- picked It up. At least be started to pick It up. He took hold of the handle and then he seemed to change his mind. Anyway, he hastily relaxed his grasp and bustled along without looking back. "Time, one minute. ‘‘Then came a small boy. He whistled when ho saw the umbrella, and backing up to it reached for tho handle. As he grasped it his hat fell off and he sat down hard on the sidewalk. When be got to his feet he took to his heels and ran away at full speed. Thirty seconds later a woman with a big cape and a market basket came along. She smiled furtively w r hen she saw the umbrella and sidling tip to it prepared to tuck it under her cape. As she caught hold of tho handle she flung the basket Into the roadway and leaped into the air with the agility of a goat. At the same m ibent she let out a shriek like the first attempt of a young locomotive, and, then, gathering up her basket and cloak and a half-dozen hairpins, started at full speed in tho direction the man and boy had taken--leaving the umbrella behind. "My friend was satisfied with his experiment. He had proved that a valuable umbrella could nos be left out on the sidewalk for five minutes without being taken. He smiled as lie came down the steps. The honesty of human kind pleased him. He reached out to take in the umbrella. The next instant he found himself kicking violently at the iron fence and gasping for breath. "You see,' 1 concluded the little man, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "he had quite forgotten the fact that he had attached a wire from a powerful battery In bis basement to the ribs of the umbrella, and that at least 100 or more volts were waiting in that wretched handle for the next victim to grab it!"