He Gave up His Seat.

Otago Witness, Issue 2394, 18 January 1900, Page 71

He Gave up His Seat.

One day it was raining hard when Mrs Lease entered a tram-ear. The car was full, and all the men on the seats sat closer back and evinced a determination to keep a position of sedentary comfort. Mrs Lease cast her eye down the car, and, at the same time, a man in the corner started to rise. "Don't," said the man next to him, grasping his arm ; "that's Mrs Lease. Don't you know her? She believes in equality of the sexes. Woman suffrage, you know." The other man smiled and got up. "Come," said the speaker, still more importunately, "you're not going to get up, are you? If she thinks she's equal to a man, let her stand. * Give her a close of her own medicine !' ' But Mrs Leape had taken the man's seat, greatly to the discomfiture of the other, who wanted to see her stand. Next day h\2 met the stranger in the street. "Halloa!" he said, "you're the man that gave up your seat to Mrs .Lease. You misfed a good chance to take her down a little. There wasn't another man in the tram who would have given way. Wasn't impolite, you know. Just a little joke. What made you get up? Did she hypnotise you ?" "Look here," said the man addressed, "you don't know me?" "Can't say that I do. Who are you?" "I'm Mr Lease !"