Leon was now gazing at the dollar bill that had been enclosed in his letter with an intensity of expression which puzzled me. ⏎ - What are you looking at? - ⏎ Suddenly I realized that he was really doing something I had not expected to witness. He was struggling to hold back his tears. With this much effort he would surely succeed. But he did not. Two tiny droplets formed in the corner of his eyes, and ever so slowly they grew slightly larger. There they remained for a moment or two until they squeezed themselves out as if of their own accord, despite Leon's struggle. I watched their slow descent down his face. ⏎ The mood this aroused soon gave way to another. As the two tiny droplets approached the halfway mark down his cheeks, Leon neatly scooped them up with his index finger, first one, then the other, and sucked them into his mouth. ⏎ - What are you doing? - ⏎ "Tears are the best antiseptic there is," said Leon. "There's no use wasting tears." ⏎ He began to examine the dollar bill, turning it over from one side to the other. ⏎ "I haven't seen one of these for years. I mean, to handle." He read the name of the Treasurer of the United States and the serial number. ⏎ - Does the letter make you happy or sad? - ⏎ "I feel somewhat glad." ⏎ - Is there something the matter with your eyes? - ⏎ "Oh, they're smarting, sir, so I'm enjoying some disinfectant, sir, - the best in the world: tears." ⏎ - Are you crying? - ⏎ "No, my eyes are smarting because of some condition." ⏎ - You say you feel somewhat happy? - ⏎ "Yes, sir, it's a pleasant feeling to have someone think of you. But there's still a tugging against her and I don't care for it."🏁

Leon was now gazing at the dollar bill that had been enclosed in his letter with an intensity of expression which puzzled me. ⏎ - What are you looking at? - ⏎ Suddenly I realized that he was really doing something I had not expected to witness. He was struggling to hold back his tears. With this much effort he would surely succeed. But he did not. Two tiny droplets formed in the corner of his eyes, and ever so slowly they grew slightly larger. There they remained for a moment or two until they squeezed themselves out as if of their own accord, despite Leon's struggle. I watched their slow descent down his face. ⏎ The mood this aroused soon gave way to another. As the two tiny droplets approached the halfway mark down his cheeks, Leon neatly scooped them up with his index finger, first one, then the other, and sucked them into his mouth. ⏎ - What are you doing? - ⏎ "Tears are the best antiseptic there is," said Leon. "There's no use wasting tears." ⏎ He began to examine the dollar bill, turning it over from one side to the other. ⏎ "I haven't seen one of these for years. I mean, to handle." He read the name of the Treasurer of the United States and the serial number. ⏎ - Does the letter make you happy or sad? - ⏎ "I feel somewhat glad." ⏎ - Is there something the matter with your eyes? - ⏎ "Oh, they're smarting, sir, so I'm enjoying some disinfectant, sir, - the best in the world: tears." ⏎ - Are you crying? - ⏎ "No, my eyes are smarting because of some condition." ⏎ - You say you feel somewhat happy? - ⏎ "Yes, sir, it's a pleasant feeling to have someone think of you. But there's still a tugging against her and I don't care for it."🏁