Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-12-26

How Greedy Traveller Was Forced "a
Yield The Seat ue Had Rstained.

The subject OF the ethics of polite.
ness as manifested by travellers in
yielding or retaining their car seats
forms never ending topic of conver.
sation among those who have occasion
to study the various phases OF the pro-
blem.
In connection with the subject a
commercial traveller gives an illustra-
tion of an event that recently came 10
his attention. 1t occurred one day last
autumn on an accommodation train
running on the Pennsylvania Railroad
between Columbus (Ohio) and ln-
dianapolis. and was as follows:-
The train was entirely inadequate
to accommodate the travellers" said
the speaker. 1T had come through
from Pttsburg, and the passenger car
was already we'll filled when | entered
1t at Columbus. There were but few
vacant places.
The first seat espied was by the
side of one of those human hogs that
one encounters more frequently upon
railroad train than anywhere else. lie
had carefully spread his overcoat grip
sack and sundry other articles ou the
seat by his side so as TO make it inac-
eessible TO another passenger.
Il did not like the mans looks, but
as the car was crowded / approached
him TO ask II the seat was taken. Be-
fore / could put the question he looked
up and said grufily. This seat is taken,
sir was rather surprised at his add
ing the word sir and knew that he
lied when he made the other statement
However it did not trouble me much,
as readily found an unoccupied place.
White ! journeyed along | heard
the hog tell fifteen separate and dis
tinct lies in order to retain the entire
seat. He varied the formula some
what. At one time it was n wave Of
the hand and glance at the rear of
the car to indicate that the occupant of
the seat was in the smoking car.
Another time, to the inquiry of a mild
hammered and timid questioner. he re.
piled with a stold stare.
II was tempted to crawl up behind
him, to call him liar and then thrash
him. | did nothing of the sort, how
ever, aud eventually | had my re-
venge.
at came in the shape of big red
faced countryman, who boarded the
train at a way station. The new conner
weighed fully two hundred and fifty
pounds, and from his soiled clothing
judged he worked in a slaughter house
or something equally savory.
las luck would have it, the only
vacant seat was the one beside the
selfish hog. AS the other human por-
cine halted the guardian of the latter
said:-'This seat is
That's all right said the sweet
smelling heavy weight as he pumped
himself with thud beside the occu-
pant. i guess I'll keep il till the other
fellow comes along
"Our selfish traveller started to
buster, but the red faced ruliian soon
took that out of him by sundry threats
Of violence.
After a while the second barbarian
grew good humored. He told funny
CD anecdotes and pOked the first hog
in the ribs. as he himself went off with
long continued rounds of coarse
laughter. He wanted TO know where
his companion came from and where
he was going. He spat tobacco juice
across him out of the window. or ex-
perforated upon the floor near the first
travellers effects.
1T was easy to sec that the original
hog was about the most miserable man
in the world.
"At last the latter could stand it no
longer. he crawled out of his seat.
gathered up his traps and entered the
smoking car, where for forty miles he
alternated between standing and oc-
cupy ing most uncomfortable seat on
a wood box ~. u. Hsruid.