Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-08-18

company claimed he travelled free and
held they were not liable. The COM
pany lost the suit before the jury, but
they carried it up and the higher
court reversed the decision and as
Mrs. Jeffries didn't seem to have
money enough to carry it any further
it rested there against her. Oh, yes,
| suppose she could have got lawyers
enough who would fight the case on
spec when she had one verdict. |
don't know the particulars OF why
she dropped it; I'm only telling you
just what heard, that the case was
dropped. Well, mcbby its rs you
say. Perhaps the company is liable
for passes as well as regular tickets,
anyhow I'm giving my version of
it. You see the conductor that took
up the tickets that trip was killed.
was braking then-and whether they
got the tickets and passes or not
well, / don't know anything about
that. They didn't have to pay for
Jeffries, anyhow.
The night after that suit was de-
cided, came through the sleeper col
lecting tickets. In seat No. A sat a
man that l thought was asleep. He
had slouch hat drawn over his eyes.
touched him OH the shoulder.
"Ticket, please" said. He didn't
move. and, somehow, the moment l
touched him | felt as if he wasn't a
living man.
~ want your ticket" said, loud
er. He didn't seem to breathe nor
stir, and was going to shake him
when he slowly raised his head. |
shall never forget the look of that
face. The cheeks were sunken and
the pallid lips were drawn back from
the teeth that glittered in the light OF
the lamp l had on my arm. His
complexion was like paste only dark
and mottled. There seemed to be n
bruise or cash on his forehead, but he
had pulled the slouched hat over it so
as to partially hide it.
He handed out soiled coupon
ticket that had evidently been bought
at scalper's. | looked at it suspi-
ciously. 1t was dated more than a
year before, but it was an unlimited
ticket and was good enough. I tore
off the coupon to Chicago and gave
him check.
When l gathered all my tickets L
sat down in the smoking car to ar
range them and make an entry of the
cash. Oh, that's right, we do make
an entry of it. If man takes any
of it he takes big risk with it, | can
tell you. l thought l would take an
other look at that coupon. Well, sir,
| couldn't find it No, sir; hunted
every pocket / had. Couldn't find q
trace of it. l went back and met the
conductor of the sleeper and told him
l had lost ticket or else hadn't torn
it off. Said / never knew myself to
do such thing, but | might have
done so this time, us the look Of that
man had sort of ratified me.
"Oh, him." said the sleeper man,
"we've had n deuce of time with
him.
"What was the matter" ?"
"Well, guess it was the fault Of
the uptown office-sold lower 4 twice
Finally the other fellow agreed tc
take lower II. Lucky it was empty.
Guess he didn't want to wrangle with
that fellow. Did you notice how he
seems to be looking past you instead
of at you with those halfclosed eye:
of his ?"
Didn't see his eyes. He was hal
asleep. Was his sleeper ticket al
right? He gave me coupon yeal
) DID,"
"Oh, it was all right. Here are thu
two. I'll report that uptown Office
1t puts me in a--hello! BY jingo
: l haven't got Old Ghastly's ticket~
Well, sir, no more he hadn't. Mex
morning when the porter called loweI
; 4 after everybody else was dressed h,
got no answer. He parted the cur
tain and looked in. Lower 4 wa
empty. The bunk was just as he lef
it when it was made up!
Well, we concluded not to say any
thing about our queer passenger
Didn't want to be laughed at up a
the office.
Next night went off all right on th'
I return trip, but next again, when
went through the coach, there wal
the same man with the same sloucl
hat in the same attitude.
, "Your ticket" / said with a chill
coming over me. He looked up a
> before and | noticed that his eye
were half closed and that he did no
look at me, but past and beyond
"See here" / said, sitting down be.
fore him as he handed me the sam,
t;oLat UXVbo .ro ,,o,, 90