Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-10-27
A Little Story OF Bumptious Old Man
and "a Meek Conductor.

he got on at schenectady. lie was
in black broadcloth suit and a
dusty beaver hat. He put his canvas
covered handbag into the rack ard
opened newspaper He gave the
conductor his ticket and settled
himself in his seat. Then an idea
which he seemed to have forgotten
evidently came back to him sudden
ly. He took the bag down from the
rack and drew out neatly folded
gray alpaca ulster, pair of brown
cotton gloves and a black silk trav-
cling cap Somebody evidently had
prepared him for the journey and
determined that he should lack nc
material aid to enjoying himself or
looking just as well as anybody he
saw on the car.
He got into the clothes, put on
his spectacles and began to read his
newspaper. But a change in the di-
rection of the train brought him
under the attention of a particularly
Jealous ray of sunshine. He fidget-
ed in his seat and pulled down the
blind. Then he looked about the car
for another seat The only one
empty was at the upper end, so he
took down the canvas handbag and
the beaver hat and emigrated TO the
seat on the shady side of the car
The only trace of him LETT in the
seat he had vacated was the slip OF
paper given him by the conductor
when he took up his ticket.
When the conductor came through
the car again, he found the old man
sound asleep, with the newspaper
over his face. The cap, the gloves,
the ulster and the spectacles had
changed his appearance, so he was
aroused and asked for his ticket.
Il gave you my ticket, the old
fellow snapped out, Just after got
on Then he put the newspaper
over his face.
But your check? Where S your
check" the conductor asked.
Il haven't got any check, and |
don t want any, the old man said
after he had drawn the paper up
partly from over his face. Il don't
know anything about a check. l
bought a ticket, and When | got on
the train you asked me for it. l
gave it to you, and that settles it.
Besides, I'm sleepy
The conductor had entirely failed
to recognize the old man in his new
dress. The newspaper was over his
face again, and no ticket was forth
coming. The conductor touched
him.
"Where've you been sitting be-
fore?" the conductor asked.
In the first seat from tho other
end, came from behind the news
paper again. But don't ask me if
it's still there or not. I don t know,
and don't care. :"
1T was only for your own con-
venience that gave you the check,
said the conductor, $50 l wouldn't
have to ask you if you had your
ticket every time passed through
the car. y
This time the newspaper came
down, and the old mans eyes snap
ped at the conductor.
Never you mind my conveu-
ience," he said, Il never asked you
to look out for that, and the ticket
didn t say anything about it. can
look out for my own convenience. l
haven't been down to New York be-
fore since General Grants funeral,
but l know that when you buy your
ticket and give it to the conductor
there's nothing else to do. I'm not
under compulsion to take check
from you, and I'm Id if l will. "
The conductor didn't answer and
didn t want to. He had won an IN
usual victory. He had the sympathy
of the passengers in q discussion
with one of them over ticket, and
he felt that was triumph enough.
So he smiled while the old man
slept behind his newspaper. The
conductor did not even take the sat
isfaotion of asking him at every sta
ton for his ticket. He allowed him
to sleep quietly New York Sun.
Virginia Conference NJ. f. Church
Gnu{h