Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-07-03
THE LOST DIME.

was sitting in the parlor of a New
York friend, indulging in an after-din-
ner chat. when the subject of horse car
strikes was mentioned and my friend
remarked: Il believe | understand
both sides of the story pretty well, for l
was conductor on the-avenue line for
nearly a year"
you conductorm l said in sur
prise, Il never knew that before, but
then" | added. las our acquaintance
extends only over a little more than
two years you might have been high
wayman before that for all know to
the contrary"
II hardly think Il car conductor can
be classed with that fraternity though
perhaps some of the bosses think they
are little better, when they abuse them
of having so much of the company's
money stick to their fingers; but /
never specialized in Wall street or
bought brown stone front with my
accumulations in that line. | came to
New York about four years ago with
the promise of situation in the office
of the-avenue Horse Railroad COM
pany, but as there was no vacancy at
that time, and.as nothing better offered.
Iaccepted place rs conductor while
waiting; but nearly year passed be-
fore they were ready for me in the
Office, and in the meantime | had an
opportunity of learning considerable
of the ms and outs of the business. |
added something to my knowledge of
human nature if not to my bank ac-
count"
His oldest child. frightened, mis-
chievous little sprite of s years, came
up at that moment and laid her cheek
against his shoulder while her hands
tightly clasped his arm.
'Ah, Puss!' he said, catching her up
and giving her toss in the air. then
setting her on his knee Us he resumed:
You'd be surprised ut all the in
genious devices to beat conductor out
of fare, from the well-dressed gentle
men who have left their pocket BOOKS
in the other trousers pockets, to the
half drunken hummer who never has
another pair of trousers to leave Il
nickel in, but who rides as far as he
can and when put off for non-payment
of fare, halls the next car and so keeps
on until he reaches his destination.
But the toughest of all is when
woman claims to have lost her purse.
or something. of the kind and her
helplessness appeals to fellows gall
lantry. | used to ring in fare out of
my own pocket rs such times until /
caught some of the schemers laughing
ut my softness, then | decided / wasn't
so green as to get sold that way again.
The company was very strict, it was
all fellows place was worth to let
any one ride without paying fare, no
matter what the circumstances; our
orders were to compel women. as well
us men, To leave the car unless they
paid. If we felt i'm the least enient in
enforcing this order we could never
tell which passenger might be spot
ter, " or how soon we might get called
into the Office and discharged. I'll
never forget one case of the kind. 1t
was Il cold day in December aud the
president of the road was on the car;
what he was there for | never knew,
but he occasionally rode up and down,
for inspection, | suppose. At Grand
street two nicely-dressed ladies got on.
who paid their fare out of well-flled
where ladies are returning from shop
ping al the Grand street bargain stores.
ELI FannyP' with Il laughing glance at
his wife, who was rocking in an easy
chair with the baby, fine plump little
fellow year old, in her lap.
You ought to know best" was the
response. seeing you had year to
study up the subject"
IL shouldn't have noticed these so
particularly only for what followed.
At the next crossing a woman was
waiting. saw that she was young.
was dressed in black and had very
sad expression. She had a large bun
die and II feeble looking baby in her
arms, while holding to her dress was a
3-year-old toddler with round, rosy
cheeks and bright blue eyes. | stepped
off to help the woman on and took the
little girl in my arms. | always had
soft spot in my heart for children of
the genuine sort, not little old men and
women. Ny friends used to chat me
on liking pretty little girls better than
did the big ones. and l think they
were about right. This one was so
bright and pretty | wanted TO give her
Hup anu MISS, OuO huu iSdi hou bhhb
it isn't always wise to try it with the
little girls any more than with the
older ones"
al yikes to widep the little puss
said. looking up into my face all smiles
and dimples, and showing her pretty
white teeth between her rosy lips, 1t
makes my tootsies told to walk, hold
ing up plump little foot poorly pro-
tected from the cold pavement by a
well-worn shoe"
"'Well, you shall get them all nice
and warm | said. making room for
her beside the stove. The mother
(, dropped into seat with a sigh of
WEAKNESS. and placing her bundle on
the floor shifted the baby to her lap to
relieve her tired arms. was called
away to attend to other passengers and