Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-09-12
MEAN MEN AND MAIDS.
Tho Petty Tricksry They Resort 10
to Save q Nickel
wstl-ts-Do People Who steal fsr Pure
Love OF >t~.IiR< What street.
Car Conductors Are ObliS-
ed to Endure.

a ,&EAHA1NH 80
though the modest request was repeat
ed the second time. the man did not
seem to hear. or. il he did. he obvious
ly thought that the demand was meant
for some one else. He was a we'll
dressed. middle-aged man.. slightly
iESliHed To corpulcnce- His face wore
n benevolent expression. bu TAT the time
he was sitting in the car there was a
nervous twitehing about the corners of
his mouth. a though he was undergo
ing a sever mental struggle. From
his looks he must have been a weIl-tO-
do business or professional man
The conductor stood for a moment.
awaiting 4 movement from the delin-
queut patron Of the railway. but the
~far-away expression dsepened into a
look of abstract melancholy and the
ervou ~twitching increased.
Pay your fare. please" again re-
peated the conductor. touching the
man on the sleeve in n respectful man.
ner. The elderly gentleman turned
with n start appeared puzzled and
amused for a moment. then said with
the greatest
How many fares do you want to
collect for one rideaf
II don't remember having collected
your fare. sir. returned the conductor.
CHANGING suspiciously at the man
Your memory will lead you into a
serious mistake some day. then" was
the response. ~fcr / have already paid
my fare
Excuse me. sir" simply. half
apOlogetically answered the man OF
fares. as he returned to the rear plat
form Of the ear with n pazzled. half
doubtful look.
As he resumed his station on .he
rear OF the ear one Of the smokers in a
back "A remarked:
That man just got on; he hasn't
paid his fare"
Il thought So resiguedly returned
the conductor as he tingled his bell aud
took a nickel from his Own pocket.
yet there i no redress | couldn't
put that man of. He Is a regular
patron of the line. and. perhaps.
thought hat he had already paid his
fare. though | doubt it.
III had put him of or insisted on
collecting his fare he would have fled
complaint Mt headquarters aud Iwould
have lost my Job. There are lots oI
men ready to ill my place and il
wouldn't take long to find some one q
succeed me-
You see it don't take much for u.
TO lose our Jobs. complaint or a sus.
piciOn i sufficient. and OF goes our
heads. sometimes without even a hear.
Inc. a. the company l. o going 10 ger
its patrons down on il; no. not by q
good deal
People fle complaints for the mos'
trivial causes. and If a man isn't free
upon the first complaint made againS-
him 4 record IS kept of his conduct ana
his popularity or uapopuIarity with tbs
people who ride ou the street-carz I
two or three complaints are Registered
against him his tenur Of office i sur,
Ia b. brief
There was q poor fellow who wa.
complained Of regularly about once :
week by an old maid living on Ads
street In her first kick she said thai
he had neglected her in order 10 assist
a gO~od-lOOking young woman off tins
car. She next declared that he piucheG
her arm one day when he was helping
her to aIisht.
"Growtng venomous. she said
that he failed twice or thrice To regis
ter her fare, hence. she surmised. be
pocketed the nic6els. As these libels,
for | do not believe the odd girl wa.
telling the truth. had no effect. hel
dislike for the obnoxious conductor in,
creased Every time she rode in hi.
car she let the company know By q
protest against his unmannerIy con,
duct
AT last the poor fellow was fred
and the old maid was in a glow OF high
spirits at her triumph. She ceased
her complaints after the conductor.
dismissal. and | suppose the men Al
Headquarters were glad 70 sacrifice 9
good man in order to get rid of q
nuisance The man who lost his lot
was married and had a large family,
but | dom suppose the old maid cared
for that, Just : o she injured the nan
against whom she had conceived an
insane prejudice
But wasn't talking of the trials
and tribulatiOns' of the conductors,
but Of the mean devices to which some
people resort 10 cheat the company
oat OF u nickel The amount IS moi
what they consider; it is the pleasure
OF getting something without having
to pay for it
Most Of the people who ride on the
cars are well enough Of to pay their
fares and not feel il They care moth
ing for the nickel itself. l truly believe.
but-Oh, I can't understand their NO.
tives.
For my part should pay my fare
and enjoy the ride. but there are
many persons of n different turn OF
mind They are never happier. so far
as my observations go. than when
! stealing a ride / say stealing u ride,