Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-05-28
HOW SHE SECURED 4 SEAT.
The Girl of Nerve Does not stand in a
Street Car.

The gIrl of nerve has found way which
she says, is most ttficaci0us Tor securing q
seat in hOrSe-ca | had heard of the
little plan which she IS said TO work, ont it
was reserved for me TO see II until recen:-
ly. 1t was In a Broadway car, and the
men seated along each side of it were
evidently gentlemen, for they We're well
dressed, and what am lbout to tell will
show that they We're Of sensitive temper
ment. The car was full. There was not
a seat to spare when, a. the next crossing,
a young woman entered. Size was a slim
girl. rather pale, but, like her own teeth,
small and white, yet with plenty of nerve.
As she boarded the car and came in, she
glanced up and down the two rows of men.
No one noticed her. All the faces wore
solid, preoccupied look, and those of the
men who had papers or notebooks handy
began to study them. Not man budged
from his pi4ce. And now, what do YOU
think that girl did? Walking slowly
aIon the car, she looked carefully
at the faces OF the men until she
selected her victim. Taking up
her stand in front Of him, she grasped
the strap by hitching her umbr Ella
handle in it, and then, leaning slightly
forward, she gazed intently at the man S
feet.
He stood the scrutiny for a moment,
then he looked to see If thare was any,
thing unusual about his boots; but no,
they were nicely BACKED and in as good
trim as a new shine could make them
He looked up again at the girl. She was
still staring ham at his feet. There must
be something wrong. Uneasily be hitched
abodt little IN the seat, crossed one leg
over another and tried to look sideways
out of the window. Bnt the scheme
wCuldn' t work. for there in front of him
stood that small bit Of a girl staring with
two wide-open eyes directly down at that
pair of BOOTS. Again he moved, this time
crossing his legs and selecting a new
position where he hoped that his feet
would appear less prominent and con-
spicuous. But no. there they were loom
ing up as aggressive as ever, and there in
front stood the mite of a girl absorbed in
studying them. The man had big feet,
| and the girl knew this when she
selected him, and being a woman,
she had judged where to hit him in
just the place that would strike his sensi-
bilities
1t was becoming too much for him. He
could not stand it much longer, He must
I move his seat or get out upon the plat
form. This was II ally becoming to awful
when the size Of his feet could attract at
tention from d woman In a street-car.
More and more uneasily he hitched about,
more and more intentiy the gi1l started.
and ere two blocks had been traversed he
got up, made lurch toward the door and
got out upon the platform, where it was
two blocks more before he recovered his
equanimity and got over feeling that oil
the world was wondering al the size of lis
exremities.
The little cheat of a girl meanwhile,
with the sweetest possible smile and half
whispered Thank YOU sank blissfuIy
and gracefully into the seat and enjoyed
her ride home IN telling about it after
wards she said she had worked her little
game at least three times daily fo1 the
past month. and had always succeeded.
| How the man liked it or what he thought
| OF the INSCRIPTIONS nature OF the proceed
| ings, as it revealed itself to him in his
calmer moments, history tells not.