The Men of the West 29 



and then the cable companies would provide seats 

 enough to go round." He was scarlet in the face 

 before he finished, and everybody laughed. 



At the theatre, in church, at race meetings, coun- 

 try fairs, at all times and in all places where a little 

 patience and good-humour temper what is disagree- 

 able, the people of the Pacific are at their best. 



Once at a performance of " La Tosca," some youths 

 in the seats behind me were " guying " the actress 

 who was sustaining the principal role. And this to 

 the annoyance of all of us. A man not far from me 

 silenced them. " That lady on the stage," he said, 

 very politely, "is making so much noise that we 

 cannot hear what you are saying. But I hope we 

 shall have the pleasure of listening to your criti- 

 cisms later, after the act is over." 



At times something more drastic is wanted. A 

 lady had been rudely treated by some minor official 

 of a railroad. As a rule, ticket-sellers give them- 

 selves great airs. To women, however, they almost 

 invariably show courtesy and consideration. This 

 man was an exception. The lady, very indignant, 

 at a loss for words, but with a comical sense of 

 humour, turned to a stranger at her elbow. " Pray, 

 sir," said she, " tell this man what I think of him." 

 The stranger proved equal to the task set him. In 

 a melancholy drawl, without betraying the smallest 

 excitement, he said slowly : " Sir, this lady thinks 

 you are an understrapper, clothed with a little brief 

 authority, whose only qualification to the position 

 you occupy is your — impudence." 



The English reader will pronounce this to be tall 



