The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-10-28
Stage Rumpass
Don Piatt, writing in the Capital of

| Q
a stage ride in New York, Says
| Of late tile stage companies, to eli
! Giae the wel'-known robbery by d,i
yers, have pat the patent box in eac
tstage. The drivers give. change, bu
are not permitted to take the fare.-
lsWe We're seated, wien stout gentle
man entered and crowded into a COZ
ner near the door, for the stage wa
erpwled. The new conner took fror
his vest pocket a ragged note and pass
edit along the fine. The man neares
the box Was meek-eyed creature il
the: single breasted coat upon wl,icI
contidiug pious females are so found q
casting their burdens, and sometime
themselves, for he was evidently
clergyman. This humble follower q
the Lord lifted the note and dropped
into the box. ...s,.,..'r -. .. -
aHalloo ~ cried the indignant adj
pose near the door; "what d'you d,
that far9 It's Il quarter
iy,f'1'm very sorry, I'm sure" stammer
ed the Gospel expounaer. ..3
s!"Much good'll your sorrow do me-
answered Indignation, working his wa,
to the hole through which the driver
conversed with the passengers. HI
,trod on several corns as he pulled al
the strap. The stage came to a halt
20 want my change" he shouted W
through the hole. -.
=, s:.gWhat change9" Shouted down the
ill.,. """'S ''"' -. -
N put quarter in the box"
~ "More fool You"
II want none of your impudence."
"-s"What do you want then?"
"1 want my. change" n liz rn
"You can't fool me that way. How
dTl know you put quarter in7"--
And the driver started The clergy
man sprang up and pulled the strap
aud shouted: go. ,.s..
& 81 put the quarter in, my good man,
it Is all correct"
serwo of y"n," retorted the driver,
driving on. Both adipose and piety
hung to the strap.
damn your ornary SOULS" roared
the driver, lido you want to pull my
ley Oft Eff you tech that strap again
III come down and bay window yer
countenances." Again the stage roll
ed on. "e..
; 'Permit me, sir" said the clergy
man, pulling out a very thin pocket
bopk-a pocket book that looked as if
it had gone in decline, decline to
pay any thing-and presented fifteen
cents.
81 don't want your money!" was the
graft response, 81 want my own, and
am going to have it, and he seized the
strap at the moment a hook nosed old
lady, who resembled a hawk in deli
cate health, seized it. The feminine
hook nose wanted to get out. The
driver made no response. In an in
slant the fat man, the clergyman and
the, old lady were swing on the strap.
The strap suddenly gave way, as if it
or the drivers leg We're broken, and
the three, tnmbling over each other,
fell to the bottom. amid roars of laugh
ter tom MS all. The stage came to a
halt, and we heard the driver shout,
splice! p'lice" as loud as liz could
laMl it. ....
slsA policeman responding, the driver
informed him that there was riot 90
inH"n among the lunatics inside his
stage, and he'd better settle 'emi before
we had another car hook MURDER
Fhe policeman opened the door. The
b-l igerants had subsidized save the old
lady, who, attempting to get out, was
prolnptl, arrested. Tie fat man ex-
planned the case. - a. T. .]N -" -
"How is this, driver7" asked the po-
liceman. "This man says he put a
quarter in the box and you won't give
him his change" 4 nn.T-oq -3,,ra.
"N", ia think not" was the dry res
ponse; "the way for him to do is to file
an affidavy with the surrogate. I'LL
,nly cost him a dollar"
Tl'ere,is bnt on4, .cnurse for police
man topursne, and that is to arrest
somebody. If he cannot arrest any
,ne, he puts on a dignified air and
away. In this case the CON
'ervator of the peace" compromised.
Herarested the old hook .nosed female
party + the only innocent actor among