The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-10-10
Burdefte ON Railroads.
Brooklyn Eaqle.

mighty railway corporations who rule
this land with rail of iron, and have,
of recent years, become coldly reserved
and icily exclusive on the vital question
of free passes.
Not long erst, when the bloom was
on the golden rod and September notes
were beginning to fall due, journeyed
toward the land of the south, and the
Prince likewise was with me. Now the
days of the years of the Princes pill
grimage have been few and jolly, and
have not yet attained unto the days of
the years of his fathers pilgrimage but
they will, if he lives and keeps on grow
ing. He was born few months longer
than seven years ago, which was such a
famous year for colts. But his complex
ion is fair and his stature limited and
has figure slight, insomuch that he ap-
peareth to be of five years or under.
Now when l got me upon the train |
bought no half ticket.
AS we journeyed to the south land
the conductor approached woman sit
ting in the seat in front of me. She
had two little girls in front of her.
There ages were apparently 8 or 10
years. The younger was reading book.
They were large girls. Not tall for
their ages, but pretty massive for free
ride age. 1t was evident that they were
half fare candidates, on fair count.
In answer to the conductors question,
the mother, presenting her own ticket,
said that her girls were each under 6
years young. The man with the punch
said they were very large for their age,
and the woman said that the size had
nothing to do with it if they were
tall as giants and were under years
they were entitled to ride free, and she
hoped she knew the ages of her own
children. And the peculiar red signal
emphasis she placed on her double hopes
made the conductor shiver. He waved
his punch with an apologetic gesture
and to his great pleasure, seeking some
relief from his embarrassment, he saw
me. All! now he could quarrel with
man. He could fire me off if l refused
to pay half-fare for my boy.
elbow old is that child 2" he de-
manded, in pay or walk accent.
"Dear me-" said, "what question
to ask father. How old is your young
est child ?"
know he couldn't tell without think
ing it over for five minutes, and so l
gained time. He had the look of an
old married man with big family, so
when l saw his face begin to clear up,
and knew he was coming at me again,
l fired at him with:
"How many children have you? ?"
That threw him once more, and |
saw him furtively count up to seven on
his fingers, but was little slow get
ting into the battery for the next shot,
and before l could ask him their names
he charged right into my lines.
"Never mind about my Children"
he said. 81 want to know how old
that boy is-"
! l said, Conductor, sit down.
can't tell you, and you know why. If
l tell you he is only 3 there will be a
dreadful lie on my conscience, and l
won't get my hair shirt off for a week.
If tell you the truth and say that he
is 7% that woman with the two big
fve-year old girls will consider it di-
rect insult. You have accepted her
statement; now, you couldn't have the
broad and massive brow to charge my
boy half fare, though l swore he was 40.
One liar on train is enough. Do not
press your question and get me into
trouble. 1 must either scar my con-
science with false statement, or get
into a row with the mamma of yonder
IS years of girls" He saw the embar-
RAISING position into which he was fore
ing both of us, and with gentlemaply
consideration left me.
Now, you see the trouble is all here.
In adopting a rule for dead-head and
half-fare children the railway companies
have acted foolishly and adopted most
absurd standard that of age. What
does young married conductor know
about the ages of children2 What con-
ductor, old or young, can dispute the
. statement of mother? What has age
to do with it, anyhow Is that standard
adopted with any class of passengers
: save human beings2 Does it cost any
more to transport ten-year old horse
5 than a five year old colte
, The standard should be either size or
f weight; then the conductor task would
, be an easy one. Make the rule that all
: children over three feet in height or
l weighing more than forty pounds should
t pay half-fare. In every car, Fair
: banks scale, in every punch tape meas
ure. elbow tall is your little girl,
madam ?" ''Just two feet and eleven
and three quarter inches, sir. "Stand
,, I'D. little dear" Out comes the tape
: measure, and little dear, STOPPING as
her mother bids her in vigorous matron-
+ ly-pantomine, stands up four feet four
inches of tape line. "What does the
little boy weigh? "Thirty nine pounds
> ten and five-eights ounces" "Hop on
these scales, my son. All, that's just
it, seventy-three pounds nine ounces.
Seven dollars and half, madam. +"
l trust the railroads can see the wis
dom of this suggestion don't suppose
! 1 will save cent by it. In fact, can
! dodge the half-fare more easily under
I. the present absurd rule, which really i:
! nothing but premium offered on lying
The man who tells the truth is COMPEL
/, ed by the company to pay half fare fol
= his children, while the man who lie:
: about it has his children carried free
l am interested neither in the railroad
nor the passengers, but this is an age o
reform and am constantly casting my
! Brooklyn Eagle eye about for some
:. z thing to reform.
The tocsin sounds from the tower
n 1t is my hour to put peas in my shoe
= and walk around the block until te;
: time, for telling book canvaSser, yes
o terday, that l had just received a cop
. of the book, Footprints of the Algon
T. quins," from the author, who was al
;, old college chum and army comrade c
" mine The accent looked me in tn