from the general, appearance of his head and hat I concluded he
was a clergyman. I studied him unostentatiously and tried to
find some indication of the denomination he might belong to, or
the character of his congregation, but as I watched, I saw him
draw a sporting paper from his pocket, and turning his hand, a
hitherto unseen diamond flashed brilliantly from his little
finger. I hastily, revised my judgment, and turning slightly
observed the man who sat next me. Determined to draw only
logical inferences, I scrutinized his coat, that garment being
usually highly suggestive to our best regulated detectives. I
noticed that while the left sleeve was unworn and in good
condition, the right sleeve was frayed at the inside edge, and
excessively smooth and shiny on the inner forearm. Also the top
button of the coat was very much worn, and the next one slightly.

"A-ha!" said I to myself, "I've nailed you, my friend. You're a
desk-clerk, and you write all day long, standing at a desk. The
worn top button rubs against your desk as you stand, which it
would not do were you seated."

With a pardonable curiosity to learn if I were right, I opened
conversation with the young man. He was not unwilling to
respond, and after a few questions I learned, to my chagrin, that
he was a photographer. Alas for my deductions! But surely,
Fleming Stone himself would not have guessed a photographer from
a worn and shiny coat-sleeve. At the risk of being rudely
personal, I made some reference to fashions in coats. The young
man smiled and remarked incidentally, that owing to certain
circumstances he was at the moment wearing his brother's coat.