Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1899 — YOUNG COXCOMB [ARTICLE]

YOUNG COXCOMB

Taught a Lesson by an Old Man from the Country. He bore the customary resemblance to a rural visitor. There was the chin beard and the clean-shaven upper Up and the trousers that fell just below his ankles. No wonder the foppishly garbed youth at the end of the car snickered aloud when he entered. All during the ride up Lincoln avenue the young man smiled at the aged gentleman opposite him. The latter fell to reading a newspaper, but now and then he would look over the top of It and meet the taunting eyes of the young man. All of a sudden he laid the pager aside and arose from his seat He grabbed one of the “hold-on” straps and tugged at It frantically. The conductor did not notice his attempt apparently to stop the car, but It nearly drove the young man into hysterics. “Oh, what a Rube!” the old man heard him mutter, and then as though the efforts of the aged gentleman had softened his heart he said: “I’ll do it for you,” and rising he pulled the motorman’s beil. When he had tugged It the regular way the old man resumed bls seat The car came to a standstill at the corner. The conductor opened the rear door, but no one Inside moved. *1 guess it was that young feller

over there,” answered the old nodding toward the youth. “D’ye wanter git off?” inquired the conductor, with a snap. “Why, no,” stammered the youth. “I thought that the elderly gentleman did, and I rang the bell for him. He was pulling one of those straps.” Every one saw the position the old man had placed the young man in and all eyes were turned on him. He reddened. “What did you do ft for?” asked the conductor, turning to the aged passenger. “I jeet wanted to show a thing or two to that young coxcomb over there,” was the reply. And he added as the youth ducked for the open door, “I guess I did it.”—Chicago Democrat ' *»