The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1885-12-12
IN A GREAT I T
Some Of the Flying Observation MADE
nv an Elevated Railway Conductor.

- VN
Some Of the Flying Observations Made
by an Elevated Railway
He was an old man; the SHOWS Of
winter were gathering on his head and
bis beard was frosty, but he looked
hale and hearty and had a frank, cour.
sgeous expression in his eyes, seeming
to imply a determination to make the
best Of things which won ones sym.
patty, for he had evidently seen better
days. He was a conductor on a Third
Avenue Elevated Railroad train. 1t was
with some intention of condoling with
him that a Tribune reporter who had
been crowded out on the platform
opened a conversation by observing;
"a rather monotonous life. that OF
4 conductor, I should think"
THAT depends on the conductor"
cheerily replied the old man, lit is not
4 monotonous life il one knows how to
use his eyes and how to think about
what he sees"
Il don't see how he finds much
chance for using either eyes or brains"
OF course you don't. 1t took me
some time to find out myself. But l
have always believed that every lot in
life has its compensations, and that Of
the conductor is no exception. There
is no position, l think, that gives n
such opportunities to find out how peo-
pie live--I mean from the glimpses
one gets Of them through open win
dows as the train goes by"
"Then you must make rapid observa.
TONS" a.
"Of course, but it Is not hard after a
little practice to see q great deal in d
few seconds. Now, walking On the
street one can't get much Of an idea Of
what peoples homes r like, but n
gets a very good idea by peeping into
their second and third story windows"
II should like to know something Of
the impressions you have got from
those glimpses."
1.-THE most interesting scenes, Of
course, are among the houses where
the poor people live. It is wonderful
what difference there is in them. In
some I can see a 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 I see all that !
know that some good woman is bless
ing a poor mans life. Perhaps in the
same block I'll see a 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 I think, God
help the children in such a home.
"One gets to feel quite an acquaint-
mi with certain homes and certain
faces. At one humble attic window I
used often to see the face Of a sweet lit
tie girl. There were a few pots Of flow
ers on the window-sill and the little
girl used to tend them carefully and
they fourished finely. But after awhile
I missed the little face and I noticed
that the flowers were fading, fading
day by day, At last m day-the flow
ers were all dead and withered then
as the train flashed by l saw a 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 it always makes me feel sad to see
them"
Possibly it was the recollections of
some little one Of his own who had
been laid at rest long ago that gave
such a wistful expression to the old
mans eyes, and to break the painful
pause the reporter hazarded the ques-
ton: "What imprcsses you most Of
what you see inside the cars?"
"The seltishness of most of the men
and the lack Of good manners. When
I see a big brawny fellow, or some
bowling swell, who has nothing else to
do than In let the world know in all
sorts of ways what a thoroughly use-
less idiot he is, c%omplacently sitting
down while some poor, pale, feeble
working woman, who has been stitch
ing her heart out all day is forced to
stand, I wish that the rules and regula-
tons Of the company permitted me to
give him a public lesson in good NOR
ais. l think most people show at their
worst when they are riding on the ele.
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