Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-26
Hear J. sIoat Fa.set Tuesday night.
A CASE OF DISCIPLINE.
Tbs Man on the Seat Had the Best
OF 1T.

OF 1T.
Don't You know better than TO pile
all your baggage on thatseatT demand
ed policeman at one of the railway
depots yesterday morning, sharply adj
dressing a traveller who seemed to be
waiting for train.
Il don't see any sign here prohibiting
my piling all the baggage l want to on
that seat" returned the traveller, push
ing his hat back and preparing for an
argument. when you want to keep
persons from smoking You stick up
sign, don't YOU? There's half dozen
NO Smoking signs in this room, and
not one forbidding man from putting
his valises on the seat beside him"
I'VE take it for granted" retorted the
policeman, THAT everybody knows these
seats are made 10 sit on. There's plenty
of room on the floor for bandboxes and
gripsacks."
There seems TO be plenty of room on
the seats too. More than half of them
are empty. These traps of mine don't
appear TO be crowding anybody, do
thew"
THAT doesn't make any difference.
It's against the rules"
"Whose rules?'
"The rules of this station. II you
don't take them down.
"Take what DOWN.
'Those traps"
81 didn't know but you meant the
rules" rejoined the traveller. "But we
won't have any fuss over it. II it's con-
trary to the regulations I'll put them
down on the floor of course"
He lifted his valises up, hesitated a
moment and then replaced them ON the
seat.
Look here!7 he said, pointing his fin
ger sternly at the policeman, didn't |
put these things on the floor when
came in?'
NO" growled the officer. "You
slapped them down ON that seat. They've
been there half an hour"
"And you've let me violate the rules
of this depot for whole half hour, have
your said the traveller, raising his voice.
"What kind Of
"But"-
"Don't attempt any explanation, sir!
I come in here, break one of the rules
and you see me do It'll You deliberately
permit total stranger to you, sir, to
defy the authorities of this depot for
thirty minutes, Is that the way you
carry out the instructions of your supe-
riors? Do you call that sort of thing do
ing your duty? Don't you know, sir,
If you permit one man to override
the established rules and regulations of
a passenger station like this, where
thousands of men come and go every
day in the week, that everybody else
will feel at liberty to do the same thing
and all discipline will be at an end? If
you haven't proper regard for your
duty, who in the name of truth and jus
tice has or ought TO have? Permit man
to pile his baggage on one of these seats,
regardless Of the rights of the travelling
public, right under your eyes, and let
him keep it there half an hour before
you even lift your voice in protest! Of
fcer, consider it one of the most fla
grant, one of the most inexcusable and
unwarranted lapses from official duty of
which have ever known n man In your
position to be guilty. Take my advice
and don't let it happen againr'
The traveller sat down by the side OF
his baggage again, took a paper from
his pocket and began to read.
The policeman, with his jaw hanging
down and wild. hunted look in his eye,
wandered in an aimless sort of way To
the outside Of the building, sat down on
the curbstone. took of his hat and
famed himself with it.
'Tll bet 81 ,o00," he soliloquized in a
hollow voice, "he's the president of the
roadr'-Chicago Tribune.