The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-01-11
Half an Hour in a Railroad Ticket Office.

From the Boston Commercial Bulletin.
Tareler-'New York :'planking the p:ic,
Of a ticket. The ticket clerk jerks out
ticket, and jerks in the money almost in al
instant, without word. and the traveller
leaves place for the next conner, who perhap.
has the same destination, but who occupie.
! much more time in making his wants known
something after this style:
Whats the fare to New York .
-Four dollars
How long atore you start y
Ten minutes
'Ah-er-can you change a fifty dollar
bill y
Yes, sir
Give me change in Boston money Qayine
out the fitly) and in five dollar bills if you
can
Change is made and the ticket thrown out
in almost second of time)
do you get into New York as early now
as usual y
yes, sir.
What time does the Fidelity train leave to-
morrow mOrnn' !"
'Scven-thirty.'
BY this time the querist has gathered up
his bank notes, folded them up, put them
smoothly into pccket-book, pokcd his UNI
brclla into the stomach Of heated indvidu
al from the rural districts who was waiting
nervously behind him. and bv the delay caus-
ed the collection of half-a-dozen other appli-
can,S for tickets.
Next comes the countrymans turn
(Breath.eS>l, ,)-'Ticket for Borston
You are in Boston now. sir
oh oh-er Yes : ah. ha ha. | want
to 80 to Pl!mpton--rWe'-(no show of mon
ey.)
'Forty-fve cents ?'-(waiting for show OF
funds.)
Yes; ; wal, Ill take one ticket
IVES, sir, ioriy-Hvc cents
By this time gent from the rural district
comrrehend> the pay in advance principle a
doptcd at all we'll regulated railway stations
and fishing into the profound depths of his
pantaloons pocket withdraws, in capacious
hand, a miscellaneous collection, which, from
hasty glance, appears to be composed Of a
piece of cavendish tobacco. a lead pencil. a
piece of red chalk, a large jack knife, poit-
ical medal leather shoe string, couple of
bu,tons,a suslender buckle and some change.
From the latter a twenty five cent piece. two
halfdimes, two three-cent pieces and four
cents are laboriousl y extracted and deposited
on the counter from which they are rapidly
swept by three or four dextcrous passes of
the clerk who turns to serve a lady.
4 want ladys ticket to Providence de
posting Il tive-dolar note. Clerk throws out
/ 'ady's ticket which bears striking simi
larity to, and in fact would be called tWl
brother of. a 'sentleman's ticket. and also the
change at the same time. Lady cautiously
examines bank note she has received in ex
change this good bill p
Certainly, madam, We give none other
Lady retre> perfectly satisfied. The next
customer is an illustrious exile. whom W,
have every reason to suppose has recent.
Jared sumtuouSly upon repast In which on
ions must have figured conspcuously as ;
vegetable and moderate priced whisky as th'
principal beverage.
'Shure what is the phrice of ticket nov
to Nee Yaark y
deck passage, two dollars and half
Wouldn't ye take dollar and sivinty
five ? shure its all the money I've got at all
at all
no, two dollars and fifty cents
Persuasively)-'Shure, wouldn't ye TAX
two dollars p
Not cent less than two-ffty. OEmphati
cally)-Pass out your money or pass on
Pat finding blarrcy and persuasion of n
use in this instance, counts out his cash
which the quick eve of the clerk discovers t
be little short Of the required amount
Three cents more
The stray three-cent piece is roluctantl
dropped from Patrcks palm, ard the ind
vidual who succeeds ,tnXiou>l y inquiries. 'wha
time the five O'Clock train leaves, and is ser
ously informed AT GO minutes past t.
The mex, inquires-'lla> MIR Smith hougf
a ticket for this train p
tan say. sir. don't know him
On. he's dark comp pl,xioned man, bad o
= dark oSercoat. ana an umbrella under hi
ann.
. ia considerations # tie fac that abou: f
? /, dark compIexiot.cd individuals, with 'dar
o.crcoa,s' On, had purchased tickets OF ,a
t!tlh, >oHt t'IIiS Hu''tt'lfiH uilNtI tIi''
arms and some not. it is not very cStraord
narv tha, he does not rccoII,ct which or,
, Mr. Smith.
All the time these negotiations are goin
on. eager intcrroga'ors on the outer circle
the crow! about the Office are propoundin
questions, and a running fir. c. them and +
! plies fill up every pause.
sWhpn does the upyt tr.,in Start -
Zen minutes Of five.
Say YOU ! what do you tax to Mansfield
:. Seventy five cents
Z Sauor-'Purser, give US card for Ne
{. Bedford Slaps down gold piece, swee]
ticket and change back all into the crown G
his hat, takes bite of the weed, and rolls
to a car well forrard.'
e Does this train stop at L 81
o NO this is the express train
: (Which one does y
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS at % o'clock.
'Ticket-'n'arf to Providence.'
|. 'How old is the half ticket p
+ Hey?
. How old is the child you want the ha
ticket for q
e Tween seven and eight
e is that the boy p pointing to lad Of
h bout eleven, who was endeavoring to ma
20 himself look short as possible, by crooki
u his legs and resting his chin on the count'
is Yes, that's him, s'pose you only charge h.
e price for boys
Eli s.