Omaha daily bee., 1888-04-29
THE TALKATIVE CRIPMAN.
The Loquacious Gable Line En-
ploye Lately Discovered.
HE TELLS SOME FUNNY STORIES,
And Gives Valuable Pointers on the
Methods OF Discerning
Kansas City
People.
HE TELLS SOME FUNNY STORIES

A BEE representative, while enjoying the
benefit OF q cheap excursion on one of the
cable lines recently, made the acquaintance
of the grip man, who subsequently proved
to be one of the most loquacious individuals
on the face of the footstool, and the amount
of facts, obtained by ordinary observation,
which the aforesaid parsonage has stored in
his Uranium are wonderful to contemplate.
While 1t would be impossible to publish all
the information impaired by this walking, or
riding encyclopedia, a portion Of the anec-
hotes disseminated will be put in type for the
edifcation of the many readers of this issue
Of the BEE, with the assurance that should
the reception accorded the narratives related
prove a favorable one, that a synopsis of the
gripman's weekly tales will be given each
Sunday.
Il notice" said the controller of speed as
he applied the track brake, lifting the grip
car off its wheels, in order to avoid running
over a small boy whose indulgent mother had
permitted him to imperil his little existence
by playing in the street, ~ notice we have a
great many visitors from othor cities
of late, and / observe that
while those who hail from eastern
points, like New York and Philadelphia, ex-
press surprise at the wonderful growth of
our city, those who come here from the
towns near us--St. Joseph, Kansas City,
Chicago, Dubuque, and other ~points-never
allow themselves TO utter one word of aston
ishment, although the sights they see are en-
tirely new TO them. During the week Just
closed | have had passengers on my car from
all the cities mentioned, and this is about the
way they acted; The Dubuque prohibitionist
waved his hat TO stop the car, and insisted on
having the foremost seat, much to the dis
comtiture OF a small boy who had encopced
himself there. Old low then gazed about
HIM as though he owned the road, and all the
way down Dodge street hill amused himself
by using all means TO attract attention.
When we reached the terminus on Tenth
street he wanted us TO hold our train in
order that he might slide over and get a
little suthin' before we started back But
we didn't wait, and old Cold Water went off
in high dudgeon.h
ION the next trip l had a st. Joe man for a
passenger. How do l know he was from st.
Joei Because he paid his fare 10 the conduc-
tor in pennies for one thing. But wait until
/ tell you-Hold on there!" exclaimed the
gripman, as he dropped the cable and applied
the brake to save an ice wagon from total
destruction. "How did / know he was
from st. joel Well, he stood
close TO the track and signalled me
10 stop, and then when we were opposite him
he jumped back as though afraid of the ma
chine When he boarded the car he sat
down By me, and at once began talking about
the Olive street line and the circle cable, and
then i knew he was from st. Joe. You see
they scattered a car of yokes along Sixth
street down the river there, and the inhabi-
tants have not quit talking cable line yet. /
have been there.n
To-day | had a Kansas City man for a
passenger continued the versatile employe,
as he Stacked up TO allow a commercial tray
eler with a big grip TO nearly break his neck
in trying TO board the rear platform. 81 can
tell one Of them every time, just pass a va
cant lot with a sign for sale nailed on the
fence, and the pilgrim from the kaw's mouth
will give vent TO a groan that win jar the
coach. You see one of those signs reminds
him'of home, where there is forty Of them on