Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-24
IN A GREAT CITY.
some Of the Flying Observations Mad
by AN Elevated Railway Conductor.

some Of the Flying observations Made
by an Elevated Railway Conductor
He was an old man; the SHOWS OF
winter were gathering on his head and
his beard was frosty, but he looked
hale and hearty and had frank. cour-
ageous expression in his eyes. seeming
to imply determination to make the
best of things which won ones sym'
patty. for he had evidently seen better
DAYS. He was conductor on a Third
Avenue Elevated Railroad train. 1t was
with some intention Of condoling with
him tina, Tribune reporter who had
been crowded out on the platform
opened conversation by observing:
"A rather monotonous life. that OF
conductor. should think"
That depends on the conductor"
cheerily replied the old man. ''it is not
n monotonous life II one knows how to
use his eyes and how to think about
what he sees"
- don't zee how he finds much
chance for using either eyes or brains"
"Of course you don't II took me
have %s to s pa out , myself ai.r, su.
life has its compensations. and that of
the conductor is no exception. There
is no position. l think, that gives one
such opportunities to find out how peo-
pie live-I mean from tho glimpses
one gets Of them through open win.
dows as the train goes by"
Then you must make rapid observa'
tons"
"Of course, but 1t Is not hard after
little practice to see a great deal In a
few seconds. Now. walking on tho
street one can't get much of an idea OF
what peoples homes are like, but ono
gets very good idea by peeping into
their second and third story windows"
III should like to know something OF
the impressions you have got from
those glimpses."
THE most interesting scenes. OF
course. arc among the houses where
the poor people live. 1t Is wonderful
what difference there Is In them. In
some can see fire burning cheer.
fully, the beds all neat and clean. chill.
dren clean and contented looking out
of the windows, a clean table-cloth on
the table where the humble family sup
per is spread. When ! see all that l
know that some good woman Is bless.
ing a poor mans life. Perhaps in the
same block I'll see picture entirely
the reverse Of this-rooms dirty. beds
untidy. children unwashed. and often
the sound of strife between husband
and wife making itself heard above the
din Of the train. Then think, God
help the children in such home.
lone gets to feel quite an acquaint-
ance with certain homes and certain
faces. At one humble attic window 1
used often to see the face Of sweet lit
tie girl. There were few pots OF flow.
ers on the window-sill and the little
girl used to tend them carefully and
they flourishod finely. But after awhile
/ missed the little face and / noticed
that the flowers were fading. fading
day by day. At last one day-the flow
ers were all dead and withered then
as the train flashed by saw q little
coffin being carried out Of the door into
the street. and I knew then that my
little girl was dead. The empty flow.
er.pots still stand on that window-sill
and II always makes me feel sad to see
them"
Possibly 1t was the recollections OF
some little one Of his own who had
been laid at rest long ago that gave
such wistful expression to the old
mans eyes, and to break the painful
pause the reporter hazardcd the qucs-
ton: What imprcsses you most Of
what you see inside the carsP"
The selfishness Of most Of the men
and the lack Of good manners. When
l see big brawny fellow. or some
bowling swell, who has nothing else to
do than to let the world know In all
sorts Of ways what thoroughly use.
less idiot he is, complacenty sitting
down while some poor. pale. feeble
working woman. who has been stitch.
ing her heart out all day Is forced to
stand. wish that the rules and rcgula.
tons Of the company permitted ms to
give him public lesson In good NOR
ais. I think most people show at their
worst when they arc riding on the Gle.
vatei. as they often appear at their
bsst In tho peeps ono gets Of them In
thsi- homes. IN =. Tribune.