The Washington times., 1895-04-07
Th6 MO&Ornnan and
Tho Othor Man.
BY Mcpherson FRASER.

Copyright, 1895, by Bachelor, johnson
& Bachelor.
When the midnight car for Fenlock Cen
ter rolled out of scollay Square, there
were two passengers on it; neither more
nor less. Rather than ride inside they ac-
cepted the risk Of the West End Street Rail-
way Company, lettered on the car window,
and chose 10 sniff the first whiff OF morn
ing air from the front platform. One of
them was myself, but l come into this
story in a general way only.
The Other Man was new TO me. He
was tall aud broad and covered with tailor
made clothes; but his grizzly bearded
face was coarse, and his figure was round
sbouldered and awkward. His patent
leather shoes were on il.fitting
feet / might not have observed these
things If he had not said in my ear, with
an ominouS chuckle, Just after he boarded
the car: This man here's names Tram
ler, amt it? 1 was kind o. sure of it.
This rides worth a good deal to me, and
more to him. But you needn't let on yet
awhile, that's a good un, now
We had rumbed through the forsaken
city streets at pretty daring speed,
thought, so as the car swung out of city
limits on TO Fenlock Road, l put ques
tion to Tramner, motormau No. 1945.
He was a chunky, red-faced. gruff man,
of middle age, usually silent when he
wasn't swearing He could brake" a
car about as quickly as anybody in the
business.
Twenty minutes late,'' he answered.
"Got to make 'em up somehow, and Wen
do it, too, il we hang 10 the damned rail"
To give force to the prediction, he turned
on all the power, and the heavy car jumped
ahead like frightened beast The moon
lit highway, stretching before us for two
good miles, was clear of all living things:
but the rails, which lay in thin, slvery
streaks, were badly warped and kinked.
They used 20 be the track for the old horse
car Tines, quite unfit for the thunder pound
ing of eight wheel eleCtrics Besides,
they were much too shallow for the flange
of the new wheels. So the car rocked
and jolted and creaked and wrenched at
its hard coil springs, like a siGewheeler
In a heavy sea. and the trolley Kissed and
clicked and whistled until at last the other
man, who clung TO the trelliS guardrgate
with sort OF ccmical death-Erip serious
ness, got a little scared He had long since
quit eyeing the small black letters on the
inside OF the white roof-edge-"Do not4alk
to the motorman"-and now, like myself,
and ten thousand before him, he overruled
them Above the creaking and clattering,
he ventured to the motorman:
FIRST THING Y KNOW"
al say, me friend, first thing y know
Wen be pitched on TO the sidewalk
"Well, guess not" said Tramner. He
half turned his head and glanced at the
other man indifferently. This IS an easy
one. Wait'll We strike Barrow street md
the loose frogs"
The other Man tried to smile and Rugged
the guard gate tighter. He winked al me-
Now, somewhere in Proverbs you will find
that he that winketh with the eye causeth
sorrow. Whether the saying fits into this
case, you may find out later. He spoke
again. his words being emphasized by the
car jolts:
MFR. Motorman. do ye race like this ivry
night, and essay to wake the dead? And
do ye nivver run amuck? Now, where
come from-Chicag go-they darsn't. Ever
been in that town.
''AIl's got TO say" TRAINER replied a
little sullPnly, without looking around,
lis, this amt Chicago"
He turned off the power quickly and
screwed up his brake enough to ease the car
over a turnout switch. Then we leaped
ahead again at full tilt The rail,
know, was weak and uncertain for the next
track, not dangerously sharp ordinarily, and
half dozen switches with rattle -jointed
frogs. So, although ! had full conf
dence in Tramners eye and arm strength
/ could not check a slight sensation of half
pleasantuneasness. Iwasn'ta at all scared,
but the Other Man was far from con-
tented The stiff morning air pinched his
face sharply. For awhile he watched the
shad ow marked houses flying by, then
winked al me and said to Tramner:
Il say. me friend, you We niyver been in
Chicago, take it. But ye might a known
somebody in that section of the world.
Would ye reckon minute, now and think.
Do ye think I'd recognize a man should y
set eyes on him once more? Did y ivver
see me, for instance?"
The car was pounding the rail like a
tilt-hammer. TRAINER looked at the Other
Man for moment with suspicious glance.
The Other Mans face was all smiles.
Il don't know YOU said TRAINER
''Well, 1 s'pose a dozen years do make
a difference. ! know you. Ny name is
Michael B. Tramner.''
The motorman spun round, stared at him
and. thrusting out his gloved hand, cried:
You. Mike? Well, for the love Of
did not catch the particular swear word
Dave TRAINER let go here. l have only
a dim memory of what happened during the
next ten minutes or SO. / do remember,
though, of yelling brakes" just before
we struck one ofthose '1oose frogs" When
/ got my head again, and wiped little
blood from my cheek bone, ] was flat on
my back in the middle of Barrow street,
with the car conductor bending over me
and asking if ] was hurt. Twenty yards
up the street was the car, undamaged,
alongside the curbstone.
Dave TRAINER lay inside on some seat
cushions. There was a deep cash over
his right eye, and he was coated with dirt
and dust. He was all used up-done for.
In a few minutes the Other Man came into
the car with a lighted lantern and doc
tor, who looked at Dave with kindly eyes.
Garry him over to my house, said the
doctor. Hell be either dead or on his
feet within twelve hours. v
Later, in the doctors office. after the
cash had been washed and stitched, and
the injured man, back to his senses again,
was in bed-just before 1 went home-the
Other Man said:
$50 you're friend to Dave, eh? I've
been looking for him these last five years
1t was just two weeks ago got word he
was with the West End. and / came right
on from Chicago. Aside from bein' his
brother, I owe Dave a good dealeof cash
that he ought to have had years back. You
see after we buried the folks / got bit
reckless and packed me kit and went west
But it's all over now. I'm in business for
meself out there-file cntter. Come nigh
TO runnin the biggest shop in the city. Dave