Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-29
QUIET LITTLE OLD NAN.
HOW HE EARNED 4 PASS TO UTICA
AND RODE IN 4 PARLoR CAR.

HOW HE EARNED 4 PASS TO UTICA
AND RODE IN 4 PARLoR GAR
Whist His Basy Len aa.A VS. Deing b
His Coat Ps<ket-Oae Conalsctos w.
Knev = .-Sposter. Whea He Saw afa-
Gse His Traveli.g Espeaass and : rssssr.
A small, slender man, with iron gray hair
and . closely trimmed mustAche, Was pasr
ssnger on the limited Chicago express that
left the Grand Central depot at 80 O'Clock
one morning some weeks SINCE over the tracks
Of the New York Central railroad He was
avery slight man, aud could not have weighed
over 100 pounds He was modestly dressed
in blue serge, and wore turn down collar,
black grenadine silk tie and q soft hat There
was an air Of confidence about him that BE-
tokened the experienced traveller, and n
though his features were naturally severe,
they frequently RELAXED into pleasant smitez
as his reveries turned to pleasing subjects.
The $50 train is made up entirely Ut Wag-
ner drawing room cars, and Is about a. com
plete train as even the most luxurious
could desire. As there is an extra charge for
tickets on this train, only the wealthier trav-
eiers indulge in them Among these aristo
Gratis the little man looked quite at home,
and none among thefn appeared more DIS
tinguished and accustomed TO the luxurious
surroundings than he. As the train pulled
out Of the depot he drew from the depths OF
satehel by his side q small black ok skull
cap. With great deliberation he removed
his hat and put it on bracket. Then he
pulled the cap down on his forehead, took
newspaper from an inside pocket Of his coat,
and settled down in the depths Of his chair to
read
The gray haired man leaned back in his
chair with closed eyes, and remained in that
attitude for some time after the train had
emerged from the tunnel into the sunshine.
The first stop was made at Albany During
the interim tie had alternately dozed, read
the paper and chatted with the banker.
When the conductor came around and
punched the tickets he was doing so heavily.
apparently, that the conductor had 70 shake
him quite heavily TO arouse him. The old
ladies were quite indignant at the conductor.
and vowel that he was really unnecessarily
rough with the nice old gentleman, and
thought that he ought To be reported for his
rudeness
1t certainly did seem as though the con-
ductor rather overdd his duty in this regard.
IL W rs ulsO ttli " ouScA vO tht "aI VIC WI
ductor started when he first laid eyes on the
old man He seemed to recognize him, and
yet, after the first glance Of startled recog-
milton, there was no indication that be had
ever seen him before except cold look Of
disdain and an evident satisfaction in the
way he jostled him. As for the old man, he
seemed to pay no attention to the conduct
or's action, except that he was unusually
earnest in the way he studied his newspaper
after the conductor had left him
To the close observer there were three mat
tiers worthy OF notice. In the first place, the
old man travelling on a pass issued from
the main office of the company. The conduct
or studied it closely each time that he came
around to examine the tickets, and appeared
to take a malevolent pleasure in making the
old man wait, hut the latter lid not seem to
be at all disturbed by that. Secondly, the
old man always looked at his watch in q
guarded way after the conductor had passed
out of the car; and, thirdly, his left hand
seemed to be busily moving in the lower left
hand pocket Of his sack coat for some min
utes after he had thus observed the time.
Whenever the conductor was in the car the
old man was entirely occupied, to all appear
ances, in reading, DOING or deep conversa-
ton with the banker The latter, who was
entirely oblivious, rs were the other passen-
gers, of the byplay between the conductor
and Il old man, was frequently startled by
the abrupt manner in which the latter
launched out into some discourse on Wall
street. When the conductor was not in the
car the old man seemed to he dreamily en-
gagged in studying its interior He Travelled
as far as Utica, and during this time the con-
ductor must have entered the car dozen
times Several times the old man, as though
weary of sitting still, left his chair and wan
dered through the train with an air of great
abstraction After each of these little exer
cses lie resumed his seat and his paper. but
his eyes were not on the latter, and his left
hand was busy in the mysterious pocket
When he got out Of the train the conductor
watched him enter the waiting room Of tn.
Utica depot and nodded derisvely to one Of
the brakemen.
Two weeks thereafter the old man returned
to New York on an afternoon train. There
was different conductor this time, one who
certainly did not recognize the passenger,
but the latter conducted himself in the same
peculiar manner as before. When he left the
train he carried his gripsack in his left hand.
and from other indications it was apparent
that he was left handed man. After he had
WAIKIKI Oub lllo EoIlN -sSNouu stlccL uc III
rected his steps to Vanderbilt avenue, and
not long thereafter entered one Of the offices
Of the company He was shown into an in
ner room, where one of the officials was busy
writing
'Ah, see you have returned Dobsou,"
said the official, pleasantly.
"Yes, sir, and here is my report"
As he spoke he took from the mysterious
pocket a small pad of paper and number Of
leaves, which had evidently been torn from
it. The leaves were covered with writing
and so wns part Of the top leaf Of the pad.
The writing consisted Of paragraphs like
these:
2l5 P. M.-Chicago limited going to New York
from Utica Train In good condition. Conductor
businesslke and attentive. No fares were col
lected, all the passengers being provided with
tickets
and insisted that a pass made out for man and
wife should cover both their fares. Conductor
refused to accept this and collected fare i1r
Gave slip and punched it properly
9l6 A. NJ, July Chicago limited to Utica
from New York. No remarks, except that con-
ducfor recognized writer and took occasion to
show IT, No money collected
$50 - spotted you. did hea" asked tn.
official, smiling.
Is, bLu uihue tHlukS TntucI uupledsAut,
too" observed Dobson, with a grimace.
"How do you manage to write out your
report so clearly in your pocketf' asked the
official, studying the tiny leaves before him.
Ten years of experience as a detective
have made me expert, said Dobson 81 have
a stub pencil with soft lead, and | can feel
my way easily. | know | can write just 30
many lines to page, and can feel when l
get near the edge
The official glanced over tho report care
fully and put it aside.
"Come in again when you want 70 make
another trip" be said. You can have pass
at any time"
Dobson nodded and withdrew. An hour
later he entered tie office Of the Pinkerton
agency in Temple court
Have pleasant Afnef' he was asked by
one OF the men there.
Eyes. and cheap one, too. Ny travelling
expenses cost nothing, and got q tenner into
the bargain fer reporting the condition Of
the traina That's the way to take a vaca-
tion.-New York Sun.
Used Her Scepter for . Club.
Actors nowadays have no notion whateyer
OF the mental activity needed by those who
made an indifferent living at the calling
quarter Of a century ago. Then the study Of
q part n week was mere nothing John
Webster was telling the story the other day
Of having to study Archibald Carlyle in
I prip - V.I. l.