Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-23
NO PLACE FOR COINS,
fho Mouth should Not be Used ms q rurse.
However Convenient 1t May he.

That is the worst habit know Of.
said conductor on one of the Green
ears yesterday rs he called attention Ia
. hall dozen or so OF small children
who had boarded the car and sat hold
Ing between their lips the pennies or
nickels for the fare.
"Yes. sir. in my opinion that is the
worst, because for the past ten years
| have done all sorts of jobs--from be-
Ing a superintendent OF large can
ning factory. where men, women and
children were employed by the hum
dreds, down TO being car conductor,
and here YOU have the opportunity to
study life. habits and characters. Now
want TO relate to you al incident
which came under my observation.
and which was simply IA case of habit,
and. when 1 finish, you, of course.
will say l have tod falsehood. or eX-
Aggerated simple Incident; but it is
the truth.
"One day last week | managed to
get standing load at the Lexington
Market going north. Naturally,ev
body wanted seat, and space was at
premium. In the corner sat hand
somely dressed lady. who seemed
somewhat excited and nervous. be-
cause of the jostle and her inability to
obtain sufficient room To work her
elbows and put on her gloves. which
she held in her hand. However us |
forced to the front of the car noticed
she placed n dime between her lips
and began to pull on her gloves. Be-
side the lady sat small consumptive-
looking Chinaman, clinging to II mar
ket basket almost the size of himself.
and his almond eyes gave sheepish
chances at the lady as she occasionally
iabbed him in the ribs. Well. | had
collected all my fares up 10 this pair.
and the lady was still pulling Oh her
gloves.
When l said, Fare. please with
out looking she took the dime from
her mouth and placed it in my right
hand, while | rung up the fare on the
Indicator with the left. then reached
toward the Chinaman for his fare. be-
lore returning the change to the lady.
To my surprise the Mongolian. with
his thumb and foretingcr picked
diriy-looking nickel from his right
ear and placed it in my hand. With
out thinking, gave this to the lady.
and. woman like, she paid no attention
to the nickel's condition. but put it in
her mouth. Now that was mere habit.
Several passengers had n good laugh
at her expen~e. but she never knew
what they were laughing about. Had
she done so. am sure she would have
become deathly sick. for | myself i'm
aglned l smelled opium all day long"
The conductor vouchcd for the truth
fulness OF the Chinaman's carrying his
fare in the small cup-like part of the
ear below the cavity or entrance TO
the drum. he also stated that ne bad
known cases OF persons poisoned from
the dirt off coins. especially pennies,
which are made of composition the
greater part OF which is copper. The
themselves often get sore
hands in handling change To show
that poisonous matter accumuates on
coins. the conductor exhibited the lin
ing Of one of his pockets, which had
almost been eaten through.
Now. ii it will eat fabric" said
he. what must it do to the flesh, espe-
cially if you hold the coins in your
mouth? / tell you parents should
break their children of this habit.
Just for csriosity, when you ride
In car, watch what women or chill
dren do with their fares. The habit is
not so strong with men; but l have
even seen them mouth nickel as
we call it. | know some conductors
who will not take such money unless
The passenger wipes the coin. "-Bali-
more american.