The morning call., 1890-07-28
MONEYLESS WOMEN.
What the Fair Sex DO When in
Financial Straits.
Pathetic Appeal 10 Policeman for Nickel.
Street-Car Incident With an Un-
romantic Ending.

iiO oECdhCl WAS dttiICd. ScOu-
looking young woman about 25 years of age,
and she addressed policeman on Market
street.
The request came so suddenly and was so
strange that for a moment the blue-coated
deputy Of Chief Crowley did not respond,
and the woman renewed her appeal in hest
tatng tones, saying, as she turned her blue
eyes upward:
Il live at the Mission, and have lost my
pocket-book. l was ON car and the con-
ductor would not let me ride without pay
ing my fare"
By this time the officer had recovered
himself, and noticing that the woman was
thoroughly respectable he fastened to re-
lleve her embarrassment by handing her a
nickel.
The woman grasped it, with just an audi
bic "Oh, thank yOu," and hurried away
with reddening cheeks. A moment later
she had hailed Valencia-street car and
was speeding Missionward.
That's the third time such an incident
has happened to me within six months, 3"
remarked the officer shortly afteward in re-
lating the incident to CALL reporter, and
each of the other two women was just
as respectable-looking and as awfully EN-
barrassed as this one.
SHE GETS DEMoRALIZED.
ut seems to me that when woman sud-
denly finds herself broke she becomes de-
moraliZed. She is like chicken in strange
hen-yard. If man gets busted he tries to
borrow or get credit, and he generally sue
ceeds if he is not chronic borrower; but
woman wont 20 to her friends and ask
them for q loan. She will suffer a certain
amount Of mental anguish, and wind up by
doing just some such foolish act as this, or
else she will set her wits to work and con-
coct some foolish little scheme which sue
ceeds generally because she is a woman"
Having thus unburdened himself Of this
bit of philosophy the officer went on his
way leaving the reporter to ponder on
what he had said. Having nothing else to
do for while the reporter made up his
mind to test the truth of the poiceman's de-
due tons about the fair sex.
did you ever find yourself embarrassed
through the want of mOneyW was the rath-
er startling question which he asked a
young lady acquaintance he CHANGED to
meet.
don't know what You are trying to ar
rive at" she replied, looking at her inter-
rogator rather -quizzically, as if in doubt
whether lie was In his right mind.
A FUNNY EXPERIENCE
The reporter explained his experience of
the past hour, and what had gwen rise TO
the train OF thought about women'S ways.
think 1t mean OF you trying to get evil
dence to prove that women have not as
much sense as the men, and L have good
mind not to help you in any way. did
have funny experience once, though"
"What was it?" asked the scribe, as his
fair acquaintance hesltated.
II ought not TO tell you, but if | don't
suppose you Will make up something any
how. | had been down town, doing some
shopping, one day, and spent all my money
except ten cents. That l wanted for my
car-fare. | got on the car. and when the
conductor came along, handed him the
ten cents.
Imagine my feelings when he passed
| it back to me and said it was plugged
looked at it. and sure enough, there was an
enormous piece of lead in it.
Its all I've got, SIR faltered, with
tears OF vexation in my eyes.
It's not my fault Miss, i can't take
that he said, and then stopped the ear.
stepped of feeling 50 ashamed that | could
hardly stand. What was | to do? Walk
from Third street to Twenty-fourth.
FAINT ENOUGH TO DROP.
81 started to do it, and at Sixth street |
felt faint enough to drop. Oh, ! could never
60 the whole distance. l thought over tie
position l was in, and at last resolved to
carry the war right into the enemy's coun-
try and beat the car company.
Il hailed the next car that anne along and
esconsed myself in one corner of the
dummy, determined not to leave it unless
was lifted IF bodily. The conductor came
along cry ing fare and | took no notice of
him. Then he tapped me on the shoulder.
looked up and gave him chilling glance
Your fare, Miss he remarked in rather
sury tones. Excuse me, but / paid
gasped in desperation, and | saw others
looking at me. They must have known
was lying
The conductor muttered something |
could not understand and retreated into the
car. l followed him with side glance,
and at the same time L saw a young gentle
man friend OF mine standing on the rear
platform.
Then, to my horror, saw the conductor
enter into conversation with him, and look
at me. The next thing saw was my friend
smile as the conductor went on repeating to
him, no doubt, how | was trying To beat
ride, and then put his hand in his pocket,
draw out nickel, and pay my fare. The
next time he came to the house l was too
much ashamed to see him. One day,
though, L mustered up enough courage to
tell him the story.
WHAT THE CONDUCTOR SAID.
He said the conductor had given him 10
understand that had tried to deceive him
and ride free. Then my friend paid my
fare and gave the conductor bit of his
mind. I've got that plugged 10-cent piece
yet"
We'll, now, don't that prove what the
policeman said, that women do the most
unaccOuntable things when in financial
straits?" remarked the reporter.
There, l knew you would say something
mean if | told you. SO good day." and the
young lady sailed away with pOut.
Soon afterward the reporter found an
other lady friend who had had an experience
which, after some inducement, she was
willing to narrate.
Il don't quite agree with what the police
man said, she began. women do not
get all mixed up when they tind themselves
in some predcament through losing their
money or forgetting it, The woman who
asked the officer for nickel did perfectly
right think. That's much better plan
than trying to deceive people.
Il had very disagreeable experience in
restaurant once 1t was through 40 fault
| OF my own. but rather the incivlity of the
proprietor OF the place, and it would go to
| SHOW That women when they get in posi-
ton OF this kind receive very little sympa-
thy from some persons.
LOST HER PURSE.
81 stepped into the ladies' department of
downtown restaurant enc day TO get a
cup OF tea and a roll as [ felt somewhat
| faint When l came to pay tor what had
received l discovered that my purse was
| missing, although | was sure | had it with
me when came into the place. But look
! as would | could not find it. SO taking up
! my parasol l walked to the counter and told
the man that l could not pay him as | had
| lost my purse. He gave me a hard look and
then said could not fool him in that way
| | protested that had lost my purse and he
then wanted to know If was insinuating
| that some one in his house had stolen it,
| My cheeks Redeemed as | heard his ugly re.
marks and knew that people were looking
up at where l stood"
If you think L am trying to cheat you,'
cried 'vexatiously. take my parasol as Sc:
curity;" and laid it on the counter. Some
thing inside of it ratified as | did so, and
turned 1t upside down. Out rolled my
purse, it having fallen into tire folds. of the
parasol The sight Of the money produced
wonderful change in the restaurant man
and he was profuse in his apologies, but
cut him short and lost no time in quitting
the place after paying him. don't know
OF any situation SO embarrassing for a
woman as TO find herself in a fix of that
kind.
"A very dear friend of mine." continued