The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-11-23
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2s, 1880.
Only q Fare.

U
In rather rusty looking black, with
frayed lace scarf around her neck. and
IN old.fasbiuned. heavily.wnik.d lace
veil fastened abou, her bonnet hrim.
"Fare!" repeated the conductor again
The passenger looked at him, dipped
her hand into her pocket, rummaged in
qneer little rr,icnle she carried. snd
after exhans,ine oil the patie, ce nt wh ch
. car condu tor is supposed TO be pos
sessed, said Slowly:
II haven't got a penny. suppose
I've lest the change, or else I've had
my pocket picked; and I'm going to
- street, too.
There was pause. TIE conductor
looked at the passenger and hesitsted
II was damp. misty evening. The
streets were ankle deep with mi,e. l.
was three miles To- street, and the
car was not half full 1t seemed only
common humanity to permit an old
woman to ride to her destination, wheth.
er che bad her fare or not BIT there
ga the platform, starting through the
glass door, our conductor saw the face
OF car a,y-a slOtter, the men called
hin-who was watching him with green
eyes, anxious catch him tripping
Poor a. his place was, twenty men
were waitirg for it. His receip,s mus,
rally with the number Of passengers re.
corded on che disl provided hv the com-
panv for that purpos, or off went his
head on Saturday night. Still b. could
not put the oil woman off his car only
one al,ernat W remained-he could pay
her fare.
Nov fare on the--road was only
8 cents, hut 6 o'clock was coming, and
he wss hungry, and the supper he would
have just time 10 snatch before his tven-
ing trip began would cost him ten cents
five cents for bread and cheese, FIVE
cents for cup of coffee. He gave W
one OF these il he paid that old woman's
fare. You zee there was another old
woman whom he called granny 10
be cared for, snd clothes OF some
sort must be worn, and there were No
pennies to spare. But II was the mem
ory Of old granny that arose in his
Heart. rs he dropped in the coin. touched
the bell, and nodd'd "ail right" TO his
passenger; and ss he stepped from his
car to take his brief rest, he handed the
old women TO the curbstone, and saw
her safe upon ber way.
"No. l don't want an, thing but the
coffee. he said, waving away the res
tsurant- nt-kstrei's hoy, as he pressed the
basket of rulls and sandwiches upon
him take that stuff away"
The bread was gu. OF reach before he
felt quite safe, be was SO very, very bun.
gry.
Al that moment an old woman touch
cd the Car starter upon the arm.
"Tell me the name OF the conductor
on car number 5, she said. "There he
sits nader the shed, drinking some cof.
fee."
"Tha,'s varnham-Tom Vsrnham," !"
replied the starter, rather eagerly, for he
had relative waiting for place. III
you have any complaint TO make, there's
the Office" But the old woman toddled
away.
Oh, the long. long winter. cold and
cruel-a winter full Of terrible storms Of
enow and elect. Two drivers ON the
- line we're badly froz n. Manv died
Of lung complaints. The conductors
suffered too, but not SD terribly, and
granny ha6 been sick, and there was
money 10 be spent for medicine and
nourishing Injuries, and Tom Warm
hams old great coat was stolen one
night by thief who made his way into
the crowded lodeing-house.
After that be went without it, and he
often wondered what II would he to be
warm, and to sit at q satisfying meal.
Life seemed very hard, hut to give up
the poor situation and seek for one bet
ter was not to tie thought Of. with gran
ny on hrs hands.
The passengers who rode IN car No 5
often snubhed their conductor, took him
to task for the Inconvenience they suf-
fered, and abused him at their dinner ts
bles or as they sat before their warm
CRATES toasiing their, toes. while he shiv-
cred on the car platform Perhaps the
shabby old woman With the worked lace
veil NAV have done it also, for she rode
In the car very often, though she never
found hsrself again without q fare.
What's the matter 7" asked q passen-
ger.
"Thiee cars ahead s,opped-aome
one hurt" replied the other. What il
1t, conductor7 7" ..
"Condnctor Of No 5 dropped down."
was the response "Some say he's dead.
=. Tom varnhsm lav in the midst of o
little crowd quite senseless and very pale.
The men we're talking about him.
"He's been starving himself and frcez-
ing too" said one. IA sick old grand
mother on his hands; and he was clerk
or something, never used to ou.- -.,f door
work. I've seen this cunning for days"
.You are The doctor p asked the shah
by old woman, laying her hand on the
arm Of gentleman who knelt beside
poor Tom The gentleman looked mp.
..You said last week that did not de
serve 10 be called one, Madame Hover"
be said demnrely.
.Oh! DR. Jones! Well, that was
when you couldn't cure me OF neuralgia,
replied the oldslady. "But / want you
10 do something for me. Have this
sonne man brought TO nv house; he did
me q favor once, and do your best for
him and send the hill 10 me-"
The doctor nodded, and when Tom
varnbam came To himself he lav in a
great old fashioned feather he'd, and In
room be had never seen be ore, and the
old woman whose fare he had paid rock.
ell So and fro beside his he'd
You are not 10 talk" she said waving
Q black fan ., him, "hut everything is all
right. Your grandmother's hoard is
paid 10 tha: rapacious old woman, and
you needn't trouble ynur mind about
anything. Go to sleep You went with
out your bread and butter 10 give me
ride once, and shan't forget it, though
happen to be rich old woman inst cad
of 9 poor one, as yoa'd thought me-"
Tom listened, found himself incapable
of making any remark, and fell asleep
again But hard times were over for the
poor fellow. When he was able to work