Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-07-13
DEADHEADS.

lines, the other day. be found seated In
an armchair . young woman With .
pretty little girl 10 her arms. The young
mother was crying softly bshind her
handkerchief. When . clerk asked what
she wanted she said she had been de-
serted by her husband. and she wanted .
pas. 80 a. to overisks him aud make
him support her and the little gill. She
vas positive her husband had gone to
lsrs, city several hundred miles from
New York. and II she could only &c,
pc. to 20 on and catch him she vi"
sure they would be happy together again.
She said her parents lived 200 miles Ia
another direction. Her reques, for pass
was denied. and she was advised TO 20
home to her parents. Il
Then you refuse to give me pa.
she asked, as she pa, her handkerchief
in her poke, and s,raIsh,ened herself up
In the armchair. "You will no, help
me in trying to find my husband"
mo, madam. We cannot aid you
vas the polite reply 81, !, against the
rules"
Her cheeks grew several shades red.
der. and her bngh, blue eyes snapped
a. she sro.e and s,Alksd out Of the Of.
fee.
"That Kind Of woman Is "a perfect
nuisance TO u.s. said one Of the railroad
officials 1--WE have sometimes dozen
or fifteen Of them q day. Ths, woman
Was q fraud. She wanted pass to 10
visiting on. and her story abou, deseition
was false. Her cheeks were plump and
full Of color. and her eyes ~ere bright
and clear. Nov. II she had been de.
serted by her husband she would have
worried and cried 80 that she would have
looked as II she had no, slsp, for week.
I've seen too many cases Of thi, Kind be-
fore One Of the mos, curious things 10
connection with applications Tor free trips
!. the fac, ,ha, the officer. Of all the char
liable associations within radius Of 500
mile. labor under the impression iha, our
road !. run a. part and parcel Of each one
Of their societies. They poster the life
nearly GU, Of Us for passes to all points
for persons they are Interested In OF ~hom
they want TO favor. Jus, glance over
this drawer Of letters, and see what you
think Of the request. Of some Of the
writers"
The reporter saw ia the drawer nearly
100 letters from benevolen, associations
and charitable institutions begging Tor
trip passes to all parts Of the eoun,ry.
One letter asked for a pass for a thousand
mile trip and rtarn for fur persons. on
the ground tha, the writer bad been as
.i,,sn, secretary Of benevolen, society
in = neighboring city for several years.
That Is our charitable drawer Look
over our Official drawer" said the rail-
road man ri, /. the next one above"
The drawer ". packed With letter.
from municipal, county and United State.
Official. OF al kinds.
"whs, do you DO With these sppliea-
tons Inquired the reporter. tapping
the two drawers; "do you gran, any Of
them :"
EYES. We gran, the rsques, Of those
Who We think are entitled 10 passes,
Was the reply. "but !, Is very hard work
sometime. TO tell when TO give them or
when ~e ought to refuse The reasons
given Why p.-s. should be issued are
countless. We very frequently have fell
low. come in here Who tell pathetic 'Io-
rIes Of how they have been robbed Of their
las, cen, ia the city. and they mus, have
pas. TO 20 home on. livery one Of these
will .olsmnly promise TO send the money
TO u. by the frs, mail after reaching home.
They never send u. the money. aud they
DO no, eipee, to send Il when they
promise.
Another class Of person. who bore u'
for pAss,. are our personal friend. Hun.
dreds Of peron. who have no claim upon
the company excepting their friendship or
acquaintance with one Of ia officers. are
constantly annoying US with requests for
trip and annual passes.
"Men who say they are veterans OF the
war are here daily to get passes. II We
are convinced by their documents Of the
truth OF their statements We give them .
trip pass. The laugh was raised q, my
expense few weeks ago. A fellow Who
produced papers showing al honorable
record Of four years service in',he war
asked me for . trip pa. to a Western
city. lie had q heavy cold and looked
very weak. gave him pass, and he
left with hearty God blsss you, sir, ior
. kindness to an old soldier Within
ffteen minute. be was detected trying to
sell the pass in the depot. lie had never
seen . Confederate soldier.
"Men and women who have just been
discharged FROM hospitals 10 aud arouni
New York come here q, the rate Of adoz.
en- = day. and want US to pass them to
towns or cities where they have friends.
See ,ha, pile Of letters ! have IN sign.
They are in answer 10 requests fer passes.
They are from elergymen. hotel clerks,
frsish, shippers. and persons who say
they have been injured on our line. II
we have an seeiden, on the road Of the
mos, triaing nature. within a week sew
ersi persons will want passes. on the
ground that they were hui, In tina, par.
ticulsr occurrence. There are few per.
sons In this country who eanno, rake
up some reason Why they should have
An occasional free pass over a railroad