The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-12-06
Gentlemanly Conductor in Fix.

Some months ago, it is best not to be
particular as to the exact time, Conductor
Russell, of the Erie, was in fix, and one
from which his cheek could not extricat
him.
On his train from the west was hand
some young lady, who, sad to relate, had
become deranged and was on her way to
the Asylum at this place. From some
cause, she seemed to take an aversion to
him, and whenever he passed her, in his
line of duty, she would salute him with
EXPLANATIONS more forcible than t1atter
ing. "Take this man away" "Thls
conductor must be removed" and other
similar remarks saluted him every time
he passed her. Nothing would please
her but his instant removal and official
decapitatiop, and had not the conductor
known of her insanity, he would have
been greatly annoyed.
Arriving at Middletown, as the lady
came to step off the cars, Conductor Rus
sell, with his usual gallantry, rendered
her his hand to assist her to alight. She
took the proffered hand, grasping it firm
ly, then reached out her other hand for
his disengaged one. Thus holding both
her hands, he assisted her to the ground,
but, to his chagrin, she persisted in hold
ing on to them. With beaming face,
as sudden as her displeasure, she looked
at the writing conductor, who was
wishing the lady would let go his hands.
Ali at once she remarked, in voice the
opposite of quiet:
II think | will kiss the gentlemanly
conductor"
Poor Russell was sweating away in I'M
told agony, but the lady held on with
grasp that he could not loose, unless he
resorted to violence. In the meantime,
the crowd was gathering about and en-
joying intensely the situation. Russell
made up his mind that the easiest way
out of the scrape would be to accept the
protfered kiss, and SO with IA grace that
Chesterfield never rivalcd, blushing like
a peony, he rendered his cheek for the
salute The maiden screamed, mo, no,
no, not that way" and was only appeased
when he brought his lips into position
for the salute. With a most satisfactory
smack the operation was performed, his
hands released, and as she turned away
she remarked to the bystanders:
"The gentlemanly conductor shall not
be removed"
The frantic manner in which Conduc
tor Russell signalled his engineer to go
ahead has never been equalled, and as
the train moved out the lady stood kiss
ing her hand to it until it was out of
sight.-Orange County IN. ~ Press.
SURPRISED To FIND" Savings bank
after savings bank fails; railroad after
railroad turns out to be insolvent; insur-
ance company after insurance company
goes to pieces; and then as if it would
afford some satisfaction to the victims who
have lost their money, the well-meaning,
| but negligent trustees, come out with a
solemn assurance that they are greatly
surprised to find that the institution with
which they have been nominally con-
nected is in such deplOrable condition.
They are condemned by the very plea
which they make in their own defence.
A trustee, president, director, has no
right to be surprised at the state of the
company of which he has been appoint
ed one of the care takers. Surprise i'm
plies in itself previous ignorance, and it
is an imperative duty of every principal
officer in company to keep himself con-
stantly informed in regard to its condi-
ton. When an officer neglects this duty
his negligence is most culpable. He has
accepted trust and then ignored its OBJ
! legations.
Until public sentiment holds persons
who accept places of confidence and trust
to more rigorous accountability, de-
structive failures and defalcations may be
expected to occur. 1t is high time that
every trustee who admits that he is sur
prised to find out the real condition of
property entrusted to his keeping-of an
institution wholly or in part put in his
charge has lost the good opinion and re-
spect of his neighbors and of the COM
munity in general.-Nep York Ledger.
A GOOD STORY.-Perhaps the most
curious of the stories told by Hutton re-
lates to his own ancestors. A soldier in
Cromwells army, passing with his COM
rades over Derby's ST. Mary's Bridge,
observed young girl lading water from
the river. In the spirit of frolc and mis-
chief, he threw large stone, intending
it should startle her by making a sudden
splash. But it struck her on the head,
and made bideous wound. She fell
into the river. The soldier did not wait
to see that she was rescued. He galloped
on, feeling that he had been guilty of a