Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22
MEAN PEOPLE WHO RIDE.
A Street Car Conductors Observations
Women Who Beat Their Way.

"Human nature2 Well, just guess there is
no one who has better chance to judge peo-
pie than we have" said conductor on a l4th
street car the other day. 81 tell you. SIR" he
continued, 1--WE see people as they really are
and as they pretend to be. Just wait one mo-
ment," he said as he rang the bell for an
elderly lady to get out.
do you see that woman?" he continued after
the car had got to going again. We'll she has
plenty of money but has a trick Of getting on
a car and presenting twenty-dollar note in
payment of her fare, at the same time asking
you to please give her as many bills as possible.
OF course We can't change such big note as
that and she knows it. What is the conductor
to do? He can't put her off. But she don't
play that trick on me any more," he went on
as he punched fare. Il broke her of that
habit rs far my car is concerned"
How did you do it." asked one of the pas
sengers, who was getting interested.
1T happened this way: She had played me
for ride twice with the S20-note racket and
| thought it was about time to turn the tables
The next day / loaded myself with 1000
pennies, just the right change for that $40.
She fooled me that day, however, as L didn {
haul her. But the next day, just about Office
| time, she hailed me and presented that regula-
ton $40. Look here, madam. said l, this is
the third time you have offered this bill in
payment for your fare. knowing well enough
that l can't change it,
is that sol? she replied haughtily. WELL get
off and get change. have rendered my fare
and it's the companys business to have change
Boys, l was ready for her," he chuckled,
land there before the whole car l counted her
out $50 less cents in pennies. l wish you
| could have seen her face; it was q study. Ac-
cept them? or course she did She dared
not refuse them after her bluff But, there,
| that's only a sample of what have to deal
with. There'slanother woman who oftentimes
| rides on my car and invariably leaves her
pocket book at home. She declares it is too
late to return to her home and asks us poor
devils what's to be done. OF course some gull
| lble passenger comes to her rescue and pays
her fare. She makes a great fuss and posi-
| lively declines the assistance at first but ac-
cepts at last and takes the generous persons
address. declaring she will promptly return the
! fare. But she forgets it. the same way she
| does her pocket book. These are what we con-
| ductors call the lady beats"
The car by this time had reached the juno
| ton of 14th and the avenue, and part of the
| conductors audience left. The STAR man.
however, fingered. Ding, ding went the bell
| and the car was off again. After collecting the
fares the conductor came out on the rear plat
| form and resumed.
Il once used to haul a man who was the
meanest man that ever rode in a car That
| was when we had bob-tailed cars on this line
was a driver in those days and this man used
| to sit close up to the box whenever he rode
| MY attention attracted to him one day
| this wise: An old colored man got on the car
and changed a dime to pay his fare. When
looked in the box to drop his fare there lay a
ticket. Now, l was almost positive the old man
didn't have ticket, SO just kept lookout.
In a few moments lady entered and plainly
saw her pass nickel to this man. Do you
know what he did? No? Then I'll tell you.
He put the nickel i'll his pocket and dropped a
ticket III the box, thereby making five-sixths of
| a cent / tried to make him feel bad and ex-
posed him before the whole car, but he didn',
mind it; said had the fare and ought to be
| satisfied"
what has been your experience with dudes?'
asked The STAR reporter.
"Oh, they are harmless" was the reply,
''but bad people to haul. They want the earth
for five cents. and will make you come to a
dead halt before getting on or of. Of course
that's all right, but when they get on with one
of those cigarettes it makes me sick. They are
pretty good patrons OF the road, however. II
hurts them to walk"