Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1902 — IN STATU QUO. [ARTICLE]

IN STATU QUO.

Passenger's Clever Little Scheme that Did Not Work. Most people have experienced the embarrassment of meeting some one whose face is familiar but whose name for the moment has slipped from memory. A popular comedian traveling 4>y a Cunarder to America once felt the awkwardness of such a recontre and thus relates the Incident: “On the first day out, as I came on deck, I saw a man whose face was familiar, but I could not remember his name. I saw he had recognized me, and, as I could not recall his name, I kept out of his way and pretended not to have seen him. “Every time I took the other side of the deck he followed, and I was kept dodging so constantly that on the third day it occurred to me to look over the passenger list in the hope of finding the name that fitted my unknown friend. I read the list, but failed to see a familiar one. H I kept on trying to avoid the man and felt most uncomfortable till a brilliant idea struck me. I would put the passenger list in my pocket, go boldly up to him, shake hands, and before he had time to open the conversation I would bring out the list and say, ‘They have omitted your name from the passenger list.’ Of course he would say, ‘Oh, no—there it is!’ and point it out. “I did this. I went up to him boldly and grasped his hand. “ ‘Why,’ said he reproachfully, ‘I thought you were going to cut me!’ “ ‘Oh, dear no!’ said I. ‘I thought you didn’t remember jne. By the way, they have omitted your name from the passenger list.’ “He loked at the list a minute or so. “ ‘Yes,’ said he, ‘so they have!’ ”