The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1894-02-16
ONE HELPLESS LITTLE WOMAN.
She Held the Car Until There Was q block
ade, and tho Conductor Lost His job

She Held the Car Until There Was . Block
ade. and tho Conductor Lost His job.
She was sweet little woman. with
that air of appealing helplessness about
her that is distinguishing character
istic of the meek members of her sex
who are usually referred to as dear
little home bodies" With a young
man Of the sMagger overeoat deserip-
ton she boarded a car at Eighth and
cambridge streets At Columbia ave-
nue. she motioned the conductor to
stop When her signal had been
obeyed she arose and began to
push her way through the crowd in
the car to the platform. Having ac-
complished half of this journey she
suddenly thought of something and re-
traced her steps to the young man, who
evidently did not propose to leave the
car with her.
''Now, jack" she said, bending over
to him and speaking earnestly, you
will be home early. won't you?"
Then she carried on an animated and
whispered conversation with him until
interrupted by the now thoroughly
impatient Conductors admonition of
''car waiting for you, madam"
Again she started for the door. and
this time succeeded in making her exit.
She had reached the sidewalk when
she suddenly turned and called to the
conductor, who had just given the sig
nal to start
80 dear! I've forgotten something.
Please do wait one minute!''
Obediently the long-suffering con-
ductor gave the signal to stop. and the
little woman scurried back to the car
and, standing on tip-toe, raped on the
window to attract the young mans at
tention.
slack" she called, 81 haven't the
key to the house! You've got it!'
Jack arose from his comfortable seat
and went out on the platform The
passengers stood aside, making space
so that Jack could step off or the little
woman climb up to his side. Neither
budged. Jack proceeded to search for
the missing key. He went through all his
pockets, and drew forth and exhibited
for the little woman's inspection all
the various articles that the average
mans pockets contain, but no key, not
even a watch key. Meanwhile the con-
ductor stood on his tiptoes and chung
to the bell cord anxiously awaiting the
outcome Of the search.
MARY" exclaimed Jack, with an air
OF conviction, 81 haven't the key. You
must have it yourself"
Mary protested Indignantly that she
hadn't, and Jack was compelled to re-
peat the search through his pockets.
Three cars were then standing in pro-
cession awaiting the outcome of this
second search. Some of the grumpy
passengers were beginning to grumble
audibly. The conductor fidgeted and
looked anxious, but apparently the
bright idea didn't enter his intellect to
toss Jack off the car to his little
woman and let them solve the profile m
of the key on the street, and the little
woman made the situation more COM
plicated by mounting the platform at
Jacks side.
MARY" said Jack in final despera-
ton, ''look in your reticule and see if it
isn't there"
Mary demurred but looked. The key
was there. Then Mary babe Jack a
leisurely and affectionate good-b and
carefully stepped off the car.
The street railway resumed opera
lions. At the e nd of the trip the con-
ductor was disc harged for the delay. He
told the story of the incident and pro-
tested that he couldn't we'll throw the
little woman off the car, and he could
not get her off any other way. The
rules of the company, he maintained,
prevented him from ejecting anybody,
even the young man in the swagger
coat The company declined to accept
the explanation, and the conductor is
now searching for another situation
and saying rude things about women
in general and helpless little women in
particular -Philadelphia Times.