Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-01-19

the top of the steps; lit was two
penny fare"
1.-TWO tuppences don't make eight
pence" retorted the forid gentleman
hotly. "How much did you give the
fellow?" he asked, addressing the first
of the young ladies.
II gave him sixpence," replied the
lady, examining her purse; land then
gave you fourpence, you know" she
added, addressing her companion.
"That's dear two penoth," chimed
in communicating man on the seat
behind.
"Oh, that's impossible, DEAR" re-
turned the other, because owed you
sixpence to begin with"
but did," persisted the first lady.
"You gave me a shilling" said the
conductor, who had returned, pointing
an accusing forefnger at the elder of
the ladies.
The elder lady nodded.
"And l give you sixpence and two
pennies, didn't I?'
The lady admitted it.
"An' I give 'er" pointing towards
the younger LADY, "fourpence, didn't
l?'
Which / gave you, you know, DEAR"
remarked the younger lady.
elbow me, if it amt me as as been
cheated out of the fourpence," cried
the conductor.
But" said the forid gentleman,
"the other lady gave you sixpence"
(Which l gave to 'er," replied the
conductor, again pointing the finger of
accusation at the elder lady; ''you can
search my bag if yer like. amt got a
bloomin' sixpenee on me-"
BY this time everybody had forgot
ten what they had done, and contra
dicted themselves and one another
The florid man took it upon himself to
put everybody right with the result
that before Piccadilly circus was
reached, three passengers had threat
ened to report the conductor for unbe-
coming language; the conductor had
called policeman and taken the names
and addresses of the two ladies' intend.
ing to sue them for the fourpence
(which they wanted to pay, hut which
the ford man would not allow them tc
do); the younger lady had become con
WINGED that the elder lady had meant
to cheat her. and the elder lady was il
tears.
The florid gentleman and myself con
tinued in the bus to Charing Cross sta
ton. At the booking Office window il
transpired that we were bound for the
same suburb, and we journeyed dowr
together. He talked a bout the four
pence all the way.
At my gate we shook hands, and hi
was GOO enough to express de
light at the discovery that we wer,
near neighbors. What attracted hin
to myself failed to understand, for h,
had bored me considerably, and haC
to the best of my ability snubbed him
Subsequently l learned that it was
popularity of his to be charmed will
anyone who did not openly insult him
Three days afterward he burst int,
my study unannounced-he appeared
to regard himself as my bosom friend
and asked me to forgive him for no
having called sooner, which did
81 met the postman as was comm.
along" he said, handing me blue en-
velope; land he gave me this for you.
l saw it was an application for tn
water rate.
1--WE must make a stand agains
this" he continued. That's for wa
ter to the Goth of September. You'v
no right to pay it in June"
i replied to the effect that waite
rates had to be paid, and that it scenes
to ne immaterial whether they wer
paid in June or September,
"Thats not it." he answered. 1T
the principle of the thing. Why SHOULD
you pay for water you never had
What right have they to bully you int
paying what you don't owe?"
He was fluent tallxer, and was as
enough to listen to him. By the end o
half an hour he had persuaded me tina
the question was bound up With the in
alienable rights of man, and that if
paid that fourteen and teupence il
June instead of in September, l SHOULD
be unworthy of the privileges my fore
fathers had fought and died to bestov
upon me.
He told me the company had not
; leg to stand upon, and, at his instiga
ton, | sat down and wrote an insult
ing letter TO the chairman
The secretary replied that, havin
regard to the attitude had taken up
it would be incumbent ON themselve
: to treat it as test case, and presume
that my solicitors would accept servic
, on my behalf
When showed him this lette, he wa
delighted.
You leave it to me, /" he said, pocket
} ing the correspondence, "ghd WEI
teach them lesson"
| left il to him. My only excuse
) that at the time was immersed in tn
: writing of farcicai comedy. Wha
little sense possessed must, suppos,
have been absorbed by the play.
The magistrates decision somewha
dampened my ardor, but only infame
his zeal Magistrates, he said, wer