Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-04
WOMEN ON THE CARS.
VIEWS OF A CONDUCTOR ON A
BROOKLYN SURFACE ROAD.
Passengers Who Do Not Know When to-
Get Out-rhose Who Keep the Car
Waiting-Unpleasant Remarks Aimed at

NSAuuS'ols Nisp uGu stepped 10 tQ6 street out
of reach of The bell rope to admit his lady
passenger. resumed his position on the rear
platform of one of the cars of the latest rail |
road in the city
ii suppose the conductor remarked after
the car had started, that l repeat the in
formation you have just heard me give that
lady at least two hundred times day |
Queer creatures women are, amt theyg" and
the railroad employe START after his last
passengers fare.
The conductor was in communicative
mood 1t was his first trip after dinner He
looked like man who had enjoyed his mid
day meal, ard seemed to get considerable
satisfaction out of a wooden toothpick which
protruded from one corner of his mouth.
''Of all the positions in hfe," he continued,
after he had dexterously tossed the nickel
INTO the bulgilg side pocket OF his coat, "a
c;r conductors place Is the most wearisome.
with lots of fresh air and no one to bother
him from morning to night, car driver
grows fat, but the man on the tail end, who
has 10 answer innumerable questions, gradu-
ally loses flesh. Look at me- he continued
lie was assured that his appearance indi-
cated-he nigh have tipped the scales at 200
pounds--that with good care he might live
for few days, and he seemed to feel better.
just then fe ninine shrek was heard from
the rear, and simultaneously grasping the
bellrope and turning his head, the conductor
encountered other enemies to his peace of
mind. The car had passed Adelphi street
and gone considerable distance and two
ladies' who had evidently just turned the cor
ner were signaling the vehicle TO stop The
car was brou 5ht TO a standStill and the Ia
dies walked leisurely toward it.
"A little faster, ladies, if you please Come
now, ladies, a little bit faster,n the custodian
of the car shouted, without causing auy
noticeable increase in the pace of his would
be passengers
My dear women, won't you please hasten
little' You're delaying the car consider
ably and we're away behind timer
The car had been reached by this time, but
the women had not hurried in the least
They were gently assisted to the platform
and took their seats without uttering a word
After their clothing had been smoothed out
and they had settled back in their seats, one
OF the new comers turning to her companion
remarked in voice sufficiently distinct to
be heard on the rear platform:
Nv hat hOrlid bears these car conductors
are. They don't know how to treat ladies'
Why, if you'd let them they'd hurry the life
out of every woman who patronizes q street
never hurry me-" and the speaker looked
daggers toward where the conductor stood,
"Eou overheard my fair passengers re-
marks" the alleged cause of the trouble in
qulred of tho writer well, / get O good
deal of that I'd been dead long ago if looks
could Kill. | sometimes experience a relief
from all this that my tormentors little dream
OF. For instance, If a pretty girl with big,
dazzling eyes-there is one of such among the
patrons of this lne-@ets on the car and !
hurry her liCtle-and | take particular care
to hurry the fair lady in question-her face
husheS, her eyes dance, and she at once as
sumes an attitude of defiance. Once seated
she turns her gaze upon me as if she would
devour me. I watch her stealthily and find
much pleasure in studying the play OF her
features. When | approach her for her fare
she extends her arm and drops the coin
quickly into my palm. She shows her alb
horrence and disgust by the evident fear that
her jeweled fingers will come into contact
with my hand. pretend the coin she has
given me is a little defaced. Won't you
please exchange this nickel for a better
piecer quietly ask her i don't think l
gave you thai piece she replies, angrily, un-
mindful of the fact that | am enjoying her
discontinue all the while, but here's an
other. Nowl see if that's good and her
anger is ut fever heat. i return to the rear
OF the car and can almost read her thoughts
which, If exp -essed, would no doubt wish me
AL the ills that humanity Is heir to. As she
aliGhts she throws me an angry glance, which
says almost rs plain as words, I'D like "a
scratch your eyes out, you bruter AS sai(
before, enjoy this hugely. It's the on
plan of revenge left open to me against q
race that male my life burden"
He alternately fumbIed the coins in his
pockets and glanced ut his watch and was
about to add something, evidently, to his al
ready expressed remarks in condemnation of
the female sex generally, when the car stop
ped and very ordinary looking little wo-
man got on. Her plain features were bright
ened by a smile of recognition as she caught
the conductors eye.
"Why, good afternoon, Miss Smith =" he
said pleasantly, II had almost forgotten you
today Amt you little early this after
noonF
Eyes, there was death among the teach
ers yesterday and we dismissed school early.
It's very pleasant weather, isn't it'll" and the
school ma'au quietly entered the car and
opened one of the books which nestled on her
left arm.
An instantaneous change seemed to come
over the car II ans whole nature His face was
sufPused witt bushes, tue angry light in his
eyes gave way to Il look of pleased surprise
and his step seemed lighter as he went after
the latest pas enger's fare.
Say" he said, when the crease in his we'll
worn overcoaJ had been again fitted into the
iron guard ral at the rear of the car and his
No. Il shoes were again fitted into the foot
prints of the wooden platform, Il want to
make an exception to what | Just said about
women. The little girl YOU observed get ON
just now and who sits there reading is ex-
cepted from everything said about her sex.
Her daily appearance is the one ray of sum
shine in my dasolate life Shes teacher in
the primary department of No. - school, and
rides with me every afternoon. Pretty2 MOI
she's not pretty, but shes got heart-a piece
of machinery that seems TO be lacking in
most of the SIX. | think that God has made
some women lomely in order that he could
make them truly good. My little friend here
is an illustration Of my remark. She's al
ways got pleasant word for everybody, and
never gets on or Off the car without saying
Good morning or Good afternoon as the
case may be. Hellol this is her corner" and
the conductor lightly jumped to the street
and assisted the school teacher to alight. He
touched his cap respectfully as no let go of
the little woman's hand, and smiled pleas
antly when she thanked him for the courtesy.
"The back Of street car" he said, as the
writer got Off at Prospect Park, "is great
place to study the female character."-
RrDoklyn Eao la