The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-08-28
MANY TRIALS.
Those OF a Railway Ticket Agent
Are Especially Hard.


Are Especially Hard.
II has been the custom ever since the
invention Of railways 10 invcigh
against the officials who conduct the
running of trains.
1t is a privilege granted the travelling
public, by their American birth and
the constitution. Free speech, whether
ii be just or not.
Conductors, baggage masters, freight
agents, ticket sellers. all come in for
their share of condemnation.
Every individual who patronizes a
railway line has some particular griev-
ance. He is not treated courteously by
somebody. Some one of the officials
is "hoggish, or ''snappish." or
short" or something equally as bad.
We are not prepared to say that be-
cause man is railway officer he is
free from the faults bestowed upon the
rest Of mankind-not by any means;
but we do feel like saying II few words
for the much abused class of ticket
masters and railway conductors.
Did ever anybody who finds fault
with a ticket seller stop TO consider
what II is to stand twelve hours out of
twenty-four in the little cell where
tickets are dispensed. and answer ques-
tions at the rate of dozen a minute
questions so silly and irrelevant that
we fear the reader who scans this arti-
Gle Will think we eXaggcratc, which
we certainly do not; for in our some
what extensive travelling experience
we have heard all these inquiries made,
and a host of others equally as incon-
sistent
Early in the morning Mr. Smith. the
ticket seller on the B. & j. railroad.
takes his station behind the little win
dows of the Office. Very likely his head
aches, and he feels out of sorts general
ly, for he was disturbed last night by
his colicky baby, and his wife got up
cross to breakfast and told him to
shut up when he ventured 10 suggest
that his becfstcalI resembled the sole
of an ancient boot fried IN soap grease.
Smith comes 10 the Office devoutly
wishing that babies, and cross wives
and collie had never been invented. and
takes hls place with hls patience at a
low ebb
Oldish lady, laden down with bundles
and baskets, enters.
Say, mister, is this where they sell
tickets to go onto the railroad?"
Yes, madam"
''Got any tickets for Mowbray's
Crossing? Amt it Mowbray's. or is il
Zebrays? There's bray to il. any
how! And it's where Cousin Tom
Hodgl1ins lives. You know Tom, /
s'poso?"
Cant say I do, ma'am."
''Do tell Why, / thought every
body knowed Tom. He mends lzer-
ridges and things Heern tell of him,
amt yep
''No, ma'am."
Law! Now, that's Gurus. shouldn't
have thought itI''
"Do you wish a ticllet?"
''Wan, ] dunno, P'raps I'd better.
Less see: how fur is it?''
''To whcrc?-
"To where Tom lives"
How the deuce should I know"
why, hain't jest told ye? And you
needn't git mad and swear about it.
either. Hain't You paid for staying
here and answering questions?"
Yes civil ones"
"Wall. this is n civil one. What's
the fare?-'
ITO where Cousin Tom lives"
What place?''
'Why, Mowbray's Crossing"
Fifty cents"
Fifty cents! Land of the living. Fifty
cents to go there, Can't you take thirty
five?"
''We make no reductions"
''Oh, you don't? Well You needn't be
so snappish about it. III give you forty
cents"
Il said we made no reductions, 3" with
emphasis.
Laws sal1el Well, you needn't take
my head Off"
And grumblingly she produces the
money, and gives way to the next
conner, only to find that the train for
Now bray's has been gone five minutes,
for which she gives the ticket seller a
thorough going over in that he al
lowed that train to leave before she got
her ticket.
And after she had freed her mind"
she retires sullenly to a corner of the
depot, where, surrounded by her varied
and numerous bags and bundles, she re-
signs herself to wait four hours for the
next train to Mowbray's.
And it will be a story to tell her
grandchildren, and all her acquaint-
ances, how that impudent ticket seller
''sassed her." and made her miss the
train.
a tall man in spectacles comes in. all
forgctful of the fact that this is the
ladies' room.
There is n timetable of the trains
right before his eyes by the side of the
office window, but he doesn't see it.
Oh, no. He is an independent man,
and he knows that men are hired to
stay in ticket offices to answer ques-
tions. and he is not going 10 put himself
out to hunt over a timetable. No, sir.
''Say!-here, youi what time does
the train leave?"
Where for?"
.'Groton. of course-through train"
''Ten o'clock"
Ten o'clocki' with an accent of in
credulity. Are you sure? i was told
it was 1905"
Ten o'c'oclS. sir"
'.What. the train for Groton?"
YES, sir.
Docs it run right through?"
1t does"