Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-24
A CABLE CA ROMANCE.

When James Austin banished Young
Jack Starr from his house, declaring him
to be an idle jackanape who had never put
his hand to honest work, but spent his
time dawdling around the city, making
love to pretty girls and waiting for his faith
er's money, Hetty's fearful remonstrance
passed UNDECIDED James Austin was q
wise man and calculated upon a certain
amount of feminine obstinacy and martyr
dom as an inevitable consequence of his
verdict, 50 that he was neither surprised
nor disturbed when his daughter failed to
appear at meal time or sat at the table and
listlessly toyed with her food He OBJ
served that she went about the house look
ing languid and pale, and she rejected her
former amusements and declined to see
any but her most intimate friends. But
he fiattered himself that he understood the
precise effect OF passing sorrow on a youth
ful temperament. Melancholy might hold
sway tor time, but a reaction would in
evitably come.
The reaction was slow in coming. The
father, with his hand on her spiritual
pulse, watched Miss Hetty as the inquisi-
tors of Old watched the prisoners they
stretched on the rack, ready to relax the
torture at the first symptom of exhaustion
When the end of the fifth week found
her with The same listless manner and sad
face, he prepared to give up the battle. But
the sixth week brought marvellous change.
From perslstently refusing to go upon the
streets or take the fresh air, the girl deyel-
oped the most remarkable passion for rid
ing on the cable road that passed their
house, and returned from these excursions
with blithe face and cheeks whose accus-
toned pallor was replaced by the faint rose
hnge of returning health Her father
viewed these favorable tokens with Sc
cret complacency. His theory was correct
Hetty was too sensible girl to anguish
her yonng life away mourning over a SEN
umental fancy. The reaction had come.
Standing on the doOrsteps one day and
regarding her with fond smile of paternal
pride as she ran lightly down and signaled
passing car, he noted that the number of
the dummy was IL. 1t occurred TO him
that he had observed the same number on
the car that brought her back the previous
day. The next afternoon he loitered about
until she started out for her regular ride,
and noticed the same coincidence The
next day and the next he continued to ex-
ercise his vigilance Il was always Num-
Der II.
This Number II became hideous bug
bear 10 his mind. In vain he tried to req-
son that the constant recurrence was purely
accidental. leaden weight Of suspicion
accumulated upon his heart. The cable
roads, to be sure, We're the common vehicle
of out-of-door recreation adopted by half
the populace. But why had his daughter
never discovered their attractions before?
What did 1t mean this odd prediction for
rides on the dummy, when her saddle
horse stood idle in the stable. and the lust
gathered thick on her little phaeton? And
why did she return from these excursions
with such red cheeks and shining eyes.
Could 1t be possible that the lovers had
some secret arrangement by which they
met Gu certain car, and, waiting till the
outskirts OF the city was reached roamed
together over the hills in defiance of his
edict?
1t so CHANGED that Mr. Austin was a
stockholderin this very cable road that was
proving so disastrous TO his frame of mind.
A few nights later he strolled M to the en-
CINE house 10 see Pinchley, the very eff
cient superintendent Of the road. gray
headed man with a wooden leg and an in
corAglbie propensity for practical jokes.
The two were Old friends, and when their
business coDlah was concluded. Austip
gazing into his companions shrewd and
kindly countenance, was prompted to share
with hlm the anXietes and dpprehensions
that aEliGted his mind. Pinchley listened
with an ilnpassve face Austin ended with
helpless summary of the situation.
/ assure you, Pinehley, I've hardly
dared look the child in the face since the
thought came into my head. And as To
forbidding her riding on the cars-L.ord
man / wouldn't have the worriment of
seeing her again, as she has been these last
few weeks, to keep her from marrying the
worst dude in the country
Pinehley was busily thinking, with an
odd smile lurking around the corners of
his mouth. He was a man of few words
but gifted in resources. Suppose YOU
board the car in some sort Of disguise ne
suggested.
Worse than ever. If she saw some one
following her about she might suspect
had put paid detective on her track He
groaned at the humiliating thought
Don 20 as passenger. Present YOUR
sell in an official capacity. really Think
looking at Austin's erect figure and beard
less face, that you would make up very
well as conductor, providing vou'l be
sure to mind sharp about the stoppages and
passengers getting on and Off
Austin gave gesture of pleased aequi-
essence.
Very good, continued Pinchlev. sup
pose We give the conductor of Number II a
furlough tomorrow"
1t was a new and decidedly disarreeable
experience to AR. Austin to turn out of bed
at 4 o'clock in the morning. ensconce his
form in huge ulster supplied by Pinch
ley, and complete his disguise with false
beard and SLOUGH hat drawn low over his
eyes. He breakiasted al the restaurant op-
pOsiTe the engine-house. and as he wor-
ried through tough beefsteak and swal-
lowed . cup of muddy coffee. registered a
vow TO use his influence with the stock
holders of the road to bring about recon-
sideratlOn of the resolution they had
passed, condemning the employees to pa
tronize the Teutonic proprietor. Coached
by the superintendent in regard ia the du-
Ties of his position, he stepped iauntiIy
aboard Number II as it ran out OF the en-
gine-house. The gripman Of the dummy.
slim, well-knit fellow. clad in a coarse
fustian jacket and pair of uamentiona
bles besmearei with oil and dirt. muffIer
around his chin and a CAP with broad
visor slanted over his eyes was happily TOO
much absorbed in his own duties ia Oh
serve the change.
1t was surprising how many people de-
pended upon the early cars rs a means of
conveyance to their places of business
The man OF capital conceived a new re-
spect for the industry and energy of his fel-
low-men. Moreover, he discovered the
duties OF his position to be much more
comp ex than he had supposed. The offices
of street car conductor had always seemed
to him light and simple, and in his cana
city as a director of the road he had been
uncompromising in passing upon any dere-
fiction on the part of this class Of en-
ployes. Instead of discharging his duties
with calm and mechanical exactitude. he
found himself rushing from one end of the
car to another, in state of the highest
nervous excitement, narrowly escaping the
most painful accidents and committing mi
nor blunders untold If the PASSENGERS
would only observe some method in their
actions, he told himself that the whole
business would be simplified. What nos
sessed people<o stand idly conyersing on
the sidewalk until the car was fairly aio,,r,-