The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-01-15
OF Conductors and Flirts.

thought or whether he had ever thought
at all or not, but the citizen made no
allusion to this and kept the fellow in
gooi mood by asking him what it was
he did think.
IL think q boss car conductor has as
much right to marry rich as anybody
else, if he can get the chance, don t
you?"
"Why, of course"
CAM more of US would get there if
we only had time to devote to the girls.
You see, mister, a conductors life don't
give him no chance to write poetry and
soft letters or to hang around the gates.
An then when we make mash some
dry goods clerk will find it out, an will
foller his girl and take her home. 1
have noticed that dry goods clerk is
the most iealousest of men, an specially
Of conductors"
"You interest me-" said the citizen.
"You see, we have chances of maxim
a mash where nobody else kin. We
fiirt on the sly; sometimes it takes, al
sometimes it don't. Frinstance, see a
purity high strung girl on the corner
with her finger up. put up my finger
and smile-this way" (May the Lord
deliver the citizen from ever seeing such
smile again y
"Ef she gives a correspondent smile"
he continued, Il stop the keer, and as
gets aboard l gently squeeze her arm
as she comes up, noticin her face all the
while to see if it bushes eff it do, l
know she has noticed it, an then 1
gently press my thumb between her
shoulders ostensibly to steady her, but
in reality to test her more eff she kind
O totters it's evidence to my mind that
she is susceptible; eff not, l take it she
haint no use for me, or else she loves
another. Did 1 get your ticket, sir ?"
The citizen had given up one ticket,
but rather than runxthe..risk of getting
into dispute and swapping the thread
of the charming narrative, he gave up
another.
"Yes, indeed said the fellow with
sigh. What he said it for tine citizen
could not divine. 1t had no earthly
connection with what he had been talk
ing about, but the citizen did not allude
to the irrelevancy of the remark.
"Then, when she sits down l appear
indifferent for while, an finally ven
ture up an say, Fare please have
my voice trained, an kind o put u
trembe on the word please Ell she
fumbles around for change it is pretty
good evidence she's willin' to hirt. Eff
she pulls out half case or case note,
when she's got quarter, you kin bet
your boots that she would send a 'volun-
teen around eff she had the address. |
give her change and slip without tear
ing off any ticket, and We see she
notices that she has not been charged
for her ride. No matter how rich her
father is, Or how many sparks she has
got on her dukes, there amt no girl but
what feels thrill at bein' dead-headed.
After a while she puts up her finger
agin and l smile"
Don't stop to smile; 90 right on with
with the story" said the citizen.
81 Jerk the bell strap and help her off.
This is where ! get my work in, helpin'
her off the keer. ! can't give the secret
away
\ shadow crept over the fellow 5 face
as lie turned his eyes upon mansion he
was passing. He shook his head and
proceeded:
81 wish ! didn't have to pass that
house. l remember of eppysode l had
about it that'll foller me TO my grave
She was as fair as one Of the angels I've
heard about. l commenct with her, as
| have been tellin' you, never thinkin
that there would be anything in it.
She always waited for this keer, even if
it was rainin'. One day she give me
little rosebud, and Mercantile library
ticket was tied on 1t, with her name on
the back, all writ in her own hand, the
| incest l ever see.
''One day we made an agreement to
meet one another down az the library.
She showed me the sculpturin' in the
| room an told nae who each one WAS an
what he had been doin' for a livin'.
Talk about learnin'-there was the edu-
catedest female ever struck. But she
was business She said she pitied me,
an often noticed how attentive was,
an she asked me if I thought she was
too good for me. l can't tell We all that
happened, but it wound up in disas-
! 81, - mn orJ 20 hor ,oor <h,,cr