Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-01-02
ASLEEP AT THE BRAKE.
Street Car Drivers Who Succumb to Hard
Work and MOnotonY.


''Some people don't think that this is hard
work." said middle aged car driver to
young policeman who had just swung him
self upon the front platform Of a car upon
which was enjoying smoke The police
man laughed der,sivcly, for no had "bin
thar" himself.
Its everlasting hard Oh your feet on
car platform, and its pretty near as bad on
patrol duty" said lie. "Tnere's little more
variety about it for the officer, for he tramps
awhile and then he can stand still awhile, and
sometimes, If the roundsman amt around,
sit down, or at least lean against something,
But on Il car one is standing up right along,
and tell You It's terrible hard on the feet"
eyes" clilned in the driver, as he put the
brake on hard and stopped his vehicle to per-
init an aged ncgress with a basket to come
aboard cts blamed hard Oh the feet and
on tho chest, and the back, too. Many time
my chest has been as sorc rs my feet. The
brake strains a fellows arms and shoulders
and the reins are pulling Oh him all the time
specially in slippery weather And Lord
how tired ono does got Of it'll"
''Tirodl Wen ! should SMILE" said the ex-
driver in uniform. "Why, there's lots of
fellows in the business that goes right dead
Off to sleep while they're driving. | rcmem-
Der driver on the same line that | used to
work for who got in the way Of going to
sleep regular on his last tri y. He got slls
pended for it several times, and at last one
day he run into a wagon and smashed the
splashboard in Twas 4 terrible jolt, and
when he woke up and saw what he'd done he
lust quit work right or. He would have been
fired anyhow | guess. Now he's a night
Waterman and says he can't get tired enough
to sleep"
ATS tho monotony that makes man tired,
as much as the hard work." said the driver
as the policeman aliThtcd at the corner Of q
street, and the car whirlcd around another
corner out of the electric glare and into the
sem-glare of side street. YES it's true
enough about men going to sleep Whle
they're driving. We work about ten hours
on end low, and wien were through tell
you n man don't fee! fit tor much. But as for
sleeping, why there used to be an old chap
that worked ON an cas- side down town limo
that runs all night. He had night car, and
he went to sleep just u, soon as no came to
work. He'd put on the brake and stop or
start his car according to the bell and do al
most everything Necessary while he was a.
snoring like Il fog horn. Passengers used to
be quite scared at the noise he'd make, and
his conductor got SO tired Of going on the
front platform to wake him up that he told a
'spotter' about it. Don't tho spoilers ever
get on to men sleepingi Why, no, notat night,
cause there amt no spoilers about then
worth talking Of That Old chap was just as
good asleep as awake. He never ran into
anything Seemed to know i'll his sleep when
anything was ahead. OF course his horse
would slack W, and when he felt the rcins
loose | suppose he put on his brake out of in
stinct. | remember one night was OF duty
and boarded his car. | rode about twenty
blocks with him snoring away, and he stopped
four Or five time, to take on ur drop pasacr-
gers, but he never woke up Then all at
once q fire engine came gallopng down tie
avenue like mad | was just Goin. to grab
the rcins myself and holl the horses straight
when the old chap woke up and put on hi:
brake The 3ine dashed passed, bell clang-
ing and men a-holeriag, and when it had
passed he sat down u%ain-they allowed EN-
to use 4 seat on the night cars-and went OIL
to sleep without eve" noticing me. | shook
him by the shoulder and he opened his cyc.
and says he, why, A.4l, where DID you come
fromf He never knew III boarded the car,
although i'istooi by him for twenty blocks
New York Herald.