Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-30
aaistellanu.
Only a Fare.

The passenger took no notice. She
was shabby looking old woman, in
rather rusty looking black, with frayed
lace scarf around her neck, and an old
fashioned, heavily worked lace veil fast
ened about her bonnet brim.
"Fare!" repeated the conductor again.
The passenger looked at him, dipped
her hand into her pocket, rummaged in
queer little rticule she carried, and after
exhaustng all the patience of which car
conductor is supposed TO be possessed said
slowly:
"I haven't got a penny. l suppose I've
lost the change, or else I've had my
pocket picked, and I'm going to
street, too"
There was a pause. The conductor
looked at the passenger, and hesitated.
1t was a damp, misty evening. The
streets were ankle deeb with mire. 1t
was three miles to-street. and the car
was not half full 1t seemed only COM
mon humanity to pass an old woman to
her destination, whether she had her
fare or not. But there on the platform,
staring through the glass door. our con-
ductor saw the face of a Car spy-a spot
tnr the men called him-who was
watching Will casoi' p 0'
to catch him tripping.
poor nc his nlace was twenty men were
waiting for it. His receipts must tally
with the number of passengers recorueu
on the dial provided by the company for
,h,t nprnose. or off went his head on
Saturday night Still he could not put
the old woman off his car; only one
alternative remained he could pay her
fare.
Now fare on the-road was only five
cents, but six O'Clock was coming aud he
was hungry, and the supper he would
have lust time to snatch before his even
inc trips began, would cost him ten cents
five cents for bread and cheese, hve
cents for cup of coffee. He gave up one
of these if be paid that old woman's fare.
You see there was another old woman
whom he called granny to be cared for,
and clothes of some sort must be worn,
and there were no pennies to spare. But
it was the memory of old granny that
arose in his heart as he dropped in the
coin. touched the bell, and nodded "all
right" TO his passenger; and, as he stepp'
ed from his car to take his brief rest, he
handed the old woman to the curbstone,
and saw her safe upon her way.
mo, | don't want anything but the
coffee" he said, waving away the restau'
rant keepers boy, as he pressed the
basket of rolls and sandwiches upon him
Take that stuff away"
The bread was out of reach before he
felt quite safe, he was so very hungry.
At that moment an old woman touched
the car.starter upon the arm.
"Tel me the name of the conductor
ON car number fve?" she said. There
hel sits under the shed drinking somt
coffee"
That's Varnham-Tom Varnham,'
replied the starter. rather eagerly. for ne
had n relative waiting for II place. Ii
YOU have any complaint to make. there
the Office" But the old woman toddleC
away.
Oh the long, long winter. cold ane
cruel-a winter full of terrible storms O
snow and sleet. Two drivers on the
line were badly frozen. Many died o
lung complaints. The conductors suf
fered too, though not so terribly, ant
granny had been sick, and there was
money to be spent for medicine and nour
ishinG Injuries, and Tom Varnhnm'S ol'
great coat was stolen one night by THE
who made his way into the crowded lodg
ing house.
After that he went without it, and h
often wondered what it would be to b.
warm, and to sit at satisfying meal
Life seemed very hard, but to give u
that poor situation and seek for better wa
not to be thought of with granny on hi
hands.
The passengers who rode in car mum
ber five often snubbed their conductor
took him to task for the Inconvenience
they suffered, and abused him at thel
dinner tables, or as they sat before thel
warm CRATES, toastug their toes, while b
shivered on the car platform. Perhap
the shabby old woman with the worke
lace veil NAV have done it also, for sh
rode in the car very often, though sh
never found herself again without "a fare
whats the matterp' asked passen
ger.
Three cars ahead stopped-some on
hurt" replied the other. "What Is
conductor"
Conductor of number five droppe
down." was the response. "Some sa
he's dead"
Tom Varnham lay in the midst of
little crowd, quite senseless and yer
pale.
Hes been starving himself and freez
ing too" said one. "a sick old Crane
mother on his hands; and he was a cler
or something, never used to out-of-doo
work. I've seen this coming on for days.
"You are the doctor. sir" asked
shabby old woman, laying her hand o
he arm of gentleman who knelt besid
poor Tom. The gentleman looked u
''You said last week that | did NJ
deserve 10 be called one, Madam Hover
he said, demurely.
"Oh! DR.. Jones! Well. that was whe
YOU couldn't cure me OF the neuralgia
replied the old lady. But | want you
do something for me. Have this your
man brought to my house; he did me
favor once and do your best for him, ar
send the bill to me-"
The doctor nodded, and when To-
Varnham came to himself he lay in
great old fashioned feather bed, in n roo
he had never seen before, and the o
woman whose fare he hal paid rocked
and fro beside his bed.
You are not to talk" she said, wavil
black fan at him, "but everything is a
right Your grandmother's board is pa
TO that rapacious old woman, and u
needn trouble your mind about anythin
Go to sleep. You went without yo
bread and butter to give me ride ono
and shan't forget, though | happen
be rich old woman instead OF po
one as you thought me-"
Tom listened, found himself incapast
of making any remark, and fell aisle
again. But hard times were over for t
poor fellow. When he was able to wo
again there was fine position open,
him in great wholesale house. and
was able 10 keep pretty suite OF roGl
and servant for old Granny, and to Ii
with her, to her great joy. And, MOI
over, it is we'll known that old Mads
Hover, who has neither relative L
hobby, has made her will. leaving
her great fortune to Tom Varnham.
Don't ask me why" she said to I
lawyer. perhaps you wouldn't thi
it much to go hungry on a stormy VIM
,yo,;n,, for the sake of door old v