Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-12-23

"Yes.p
81 don't quite catch your meaning"
A blank stare. Then:
"How much did you blow imp
sob! came out ahead"
"You're lucky. I've got only case
note left"
A pause, during which his eyes rove
about the room and take in the occu-
pants. Then, abruptly:
"a mans fool TO play"
"Yes?r
"Course he is. am going to quit it.
Going to quit it tonight. Yes, SIR; =
man looses more in the long run than
he ever wins. l know he does"
Another pause, during which the 10.
food. Then, leaning over in conf
dental manner. he tells how his luck
fluctuated, now up and now down,
until be "finally put a whole stack Of
I.ds on the ace to lose" and lost. Con-
Guiding with the insinuating:
Say, can't you lend a fellow case
until Tomorrow
AS the night wears on the streets be.
come more deserted, and, between
and O'Clock, few evidences of life are
seen. Before that time the thorough
fares are fairly thronged, and later on
the early day workers begin to pour
into the streets as the night men leave
for their homes. AS the bakers, milk
men al d newspaper carriers commence
their labors the printers, gamblers aud
miscellaneous night-workers are just
concluding theirs. But just before the
one class commences its labOrs, and be-
fore the other class concludes its work,
for about an hour strange quiet broods
over the city. Even in the station
houses. where one would hardly look
ioi quiet, the same spell seems to have
hushed into silenc the blasphemy OF
the wretch thrust into the noisome cell
and the whimpering ofthe inebriate on
the borders of dilerium tremens. Tne
desk sergeant mods in his chair, respon-
sive to the yawns of the "lOck.up" who
stretches lazily as he drums with idle
fingers on the door. From the repor-
ters' room the chink of coppers on the
wooden table shows that there lam
guild Interest in
the"Pcpny-tnte Game"
still survives. Across the way the en-
CINE house shows few signs of life, and
lounging round the stove clutchiug the
cheerer of his solitude, a pipe, the
Waterman almost hopes the mOnoton-
Gus ticking OF the clock may be broken
by the rude clamor of an alarm.
But perhaps the most typical Of the
night scenes are the crowds that wait
upon the corners for homeward bound
street cars. Each car carries its pecu-
liar class of passengers. The regular
"2 80 crowd" is no more like the
"4:l4s" than the latter is like the
81 :26's." Should one of the "regulsrs,"
as the habitat passengers is technically
called, miss his car and be compelled to
take later one, he appears to feel the
disgrace keenly. Instead Of the custo.
mary interchange Of cOurtesies with the
col Guctor, the belated passenger climbs
sulenly aboard and plants himself de-
terminedly in the corner, feeling the
most sup;ne contempt Tor that car, its
cor ductor and driver and its passengers.
Even the horses that are compelled to
haul the despised "4:li" come in for
a Share OF the contempt animating the
breast OF the $50 passenger. The very
nickel is given grudgingly. But
when he catches his own car how diff
lc1t III Tie leGllDS.
"Hello, Gus; q cold night for you,n
gretts the conductor, and inside word
or II nod is given each occupant. Every
body appears to know everybody else,
and each extends word of welcome to
the newcomers as they enter. The
faces Of all ore familiar and conver5a-
ton becomes general. But woe to the
unfortunate individual, not regular,
who ventures TO participate in the con-
versation. His remarks are met with
q frigid stare, and the chilling reception
given his most brilliant sallics says aS
plainly as words could say: "WhO Is
this interlopcr that would try to force
himself upon our exclusive set" How
dare this impertinent outsider intrude
upon our privacy" Great, indeed,
must be the temerity OF. him who
would risk more than one such pAipa.
ole rebuff. a second attempt TO enter
into conversation does not even call
forth the silent stare.
The ObtrusiYe Individual
is quietly ign0rcd. When new regu-
Jar begins TO establish himself rs be-
longing to q certain car, making his ap.
pearance night after night at the APP
pointed time and taking the same seat,
then the simple ceremony OF instalIa-
ton occurs. After waiting for weeks to
make sure that the new passenger is
really not transient, the gentleman in
the corner, who has ridden i'm that car
every night for the past twenty-five
years" as master Of ceremonies does
the honors of the OCCASION, and extends
10 the latest candidate for admission
the right hand of fellowship, with:
at IL a pleasant evening"
at IL, indeed"
You haven't been taking this car
very long"
"NOt u grt at while"
Il thought not. | have been taking
the same car for twenty-five years"
"InGCed.r
AYES, sir; fer twenty-five years
tW eniy " years." and the ceremony
pi installation is concluded The ice
uas been broken, the transient takes
hi. place rs n regular" and no further
is required. Hereafter
very man he meets in that car is his
riend. to whom he can speak without
fear of rebuff, and upon whom he can
rely. Hereafter, too he IL bound TO up
llOlu tI.S hOuOl vi luC .DDt W s"odi
by it as the model car, to accept I'M
any ofits inconvenien0es,
and to hold to his fellow-passengers
and despise the trans!ents. II is further
more tacitly expected Of him that,
should he be so unfortunate as to miss
his car, he shall, in no case, counten-
auce the "4:li" crowd. OF course he
must ride with them, but it is under
stood that there must he no utilization,
no companionable interchange OF cour-
tesies. This order Is imperative. Among
The privileges which are accorded him
as regular is proprietary interest in
the stories which invariably enliven
the journey home. A story once told
becomes the property of the regulars,
and each is at liberty to repeat it at
least once. No greater dlscourtesy can
be extended to'a regular than an in
limation that bis narrative has been
heard before. You have not heard him
tell it, which is an all.suflicient reason
for its repetition. The "ethics of the
,treet-car" is fruitful theme OF dis
russion, and on some future occasion
he old gentleman in the corner threat
Fms To pIlblisl his yieWs on the sIIhinpt