St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-03-15
The Indian and the Conductor.
HOW THE NOBLE RED MAN ESSAYS TO
BEAT THE RAILROAD COMPANY. ~

HOW THE NOBLE RED MAN ESSAYS TO
BEAT THE RAILROAD COMPANY. ~
"Pap" Richards, an old time conductor
on the Western New York and Pennsyl-
vsnia railroad, which runs through Com
planter Indian reservation, on the Ale
CHENEY river, near Salamanca, has had
some experiences in carrying Indians on
his train that are worth reiasipg.
Talking about dead beating on rail-
roads" said Mr.. Richards, "there is no
living, thinking being who gives up
money with SO much heartfelb reluctance
as an Indian, l have been carrying some
of them on my train every day or two for
the past fifteen years, and 1 long ago
made up my mind that whenever an In
dian boards my train have scheme OF
some sort to contend with. | think it is
Pope who makes the statement that proud
science has never taught the Indians soul
to stray bevond the solar walk or milky
way, but am willing to GAMBLE that proud
science never had anything down finer
than Co1nplanter Indian has the bust
ness OF, bilking his way on a railroad train
Of course | speak of the ragtag and bob
tail OF the Cornplanters, for there are
many of these Indians who are good citi-
zens and pay their way accordingly.
ssAn Indians method of beating con
ductor is strikingly original Suppose
him to be going up the river to Salamanca,
a. ride of few hours from the reservation.
He buys ticket to the next station only,
perhaps at an expenditure of ten cents
But if you expect your Indian to get oil at
that station, that is where you are weak
on the Indian strategy. The train s'ops,
but the Indian does not bulge from his
seat. The hope that wells up in his heart
is that the conductor will think the Indian
who had the ticket for that station get OF,
while the Indian VINO did not get off has
through ticket. Nearly all these indians
answer to the name of John, so stop ON
NV way through the car and say:
:" John, you didn't get off at your sta
ton
"Iniun go on to next station, he will
saw. aud going down into his be AGED
purse, he will fish out enough nickels and
pennies to pay to that station. Arrived
there, he will not get off, but lit quiet and
thoughtful or perhaps when the train
stops, he will make an ostentatious dash
through the car TO the platform, making
feint TO get off, but will dodge into the
next car and take a seat. You come
around and find him sitting there as So
renely as if he had been in that particular
seat for day or two
ss.Wen, John, you didn't get off at your
station | will say.
"Injun go to next station, he will RS
peat again, and out will cone the purse,
and the reluctant pennies will be counted
out. The same thing is repeated az tie
next station, and the next, and still az ain
at the next, and so on during the run up
to Salamanca.
1.-THE Indian never seems to think you
fathom his game. He regards 1t as
most subtle piece of strategy, entirely, too
deep for the beclouded mind OF the white
man. All the conductors understand John
perfectly well, and he has about one chance
in million of getting through on his orig
inal ten cent ticket, but he prefers to take
that one chance and pay considerable more
from alton to station rather tran buy a
ticket clear through. Tnis refers 10 the
t.ip up the river. Unless the Allegh eny
is frozen over, we rarely have the p ivil-
eye of carrying John down stream. He
viii spend all his money in Salamanca,
aud couple of slabs aud the broad bosom
of the Allegheny will furnise him very
congenial means of transportation home.
ut is a common sight to see John
aboard slab or TWO, complacentiy float
ing home after one eff these pleasure srlps
to Salamanca."-N. 7. World.