The evening times., 1897-03-03

/ car nne. Ibe advent or O drunken man IN
the car is a source OF great annoyance, but
he is never put off unless he becomes oh
noxious to passengers.
few weeks ago a distinguished looking
man boarded an empty Car and seated hiHl-
self in one corner; his steps had seemed TN
| certain, but the conductor thought that due
to the motion OF the car; presently lady
entered; the man rose, and after rendering
his seat in terms profusely polite, stood
swinging TO the straps. The conductor
nudged his arm and said, There's a seat
SIR
'oh, thank you-thank you" he said,
as he sat down.
Another lady came in and he offered her
the whole bench; then ne began 10 sing,
and in trying to execute a little dance,
sprawled at the feet Of the conductor, who,
rang the bell and assisted him to alight
from the car. He made no resistance, but
took off his hat and bowed politely as he
car sped on. Some are net so tIaotable,
and persist in having pitched battle with
the conductor before coming to terms.
The conductors most tTOublesom work
is to keep people from getting OFF before
the car stops; some Of them sal that they
owe their gray hair to anxiety in that re-
spect, and to the perverseness OF women.
who will take hold Of the handle ofthe seat
behind them and step off backward
But all these things are trtfles light as
aiT-fo long as no tones are bIoken-when
compared with the dread the conductor has
Of complaints made against him al Lead-
quarters. He knows that lie - falhble,
and, therefore, liable to errors he has
l. n
lie rude, but the pubic, which - always
crying against the wrongs OF the working
man ana tie heartIessness OF employ yeis.
forgets its own duty and expeC Is more than
II is willing 10 give, 1t does rot always re-
fleet when II files its oEasEe against Lin
for some trfling, perhaps unavoidable, or
fense. that 1t is faI easier 10 take the
bread from his chIldTen's mouths than
10 give 1t back again Tragedies nave
been Known 70 hinge Oh such small things.
II we ould see the pitiful scenes some
times enacted when a ran ie discharged,
II We could hear the appeal 81 wives and
mothers. realize the deSolAriOn in
TIE home. before making ourselves the
Instruments TO bring about tie latter, we
ST. ould want stfOnger pTGyOCdtion than
failure TO see a hand waving for The car
OF a refusal 70 stop ia the middle Of a bioCk.
Complaints made are OF various KINDS,
but mainly for the above reasons. Some
times there VIII be two cars, one behind
the other; but If the first does not stop I
the beck OF the wOuld-bc passenger. ne
becomes eXaspeIated and will not rIde 10
the other Then there are the accident
IN which IL Is SO dffncuu 10
fix responsibility When an ACCIDENT Oc-
cuTs. the conductor takes tho names and
addresses OF passengers witnessing II, and
Is convicted oI acquitted by their testi-
n,ony The notorman, Of course, has his
share OF res possibility.
Some very amusing events help to tighten
tie burden OF the conductors day The
questions asked MIN would fill book
Sometimes they relate 10 his duties. and
again they take q personal turn, as when |
some mOtberiy old Lady wants to know how /
large rs h,s famny;if II hIs children are boys |
Of girls. ana where they go 10 school
one Washington conductor Is so short |
that when he stands 10 the car his head /
barely comes above the window ledge
Al inspector reported him several weeks
lgo for sitting down IN caT-wnIch Is
forbidden 70 the conductor. De declared |
NAT he bad not violated the rules, and |
the management was puzzled as To ques-
lion OF veracity between conductor ana IN
,pector AT last ii Was proved that TIE
after had been the victim OF an optical
1elUSon. because II the Nan bad teen SIT.
.Ing Ia the car not even his mead could !
Ia we been seen by the inspector from MS
0antage ground outside. SiIcc that cpI-
sOde, the small conductor bs.s been dubted
shorty by his COMPANIONS.
Among the queer people WHO ride oD the
,ars is all OLD lady, who always closes the
the moment she Is aboard, and
mother VINO invariably asks the Conductor
he time OF day. There are crank inv ent-
rs galore who y ant To chat with the con
iuctor about their machines. and during
iection times he is bored 10 death by the I
Tecltals of the merits Of can
ldates.
1t seems strange to the Conductor that
,eopic who ride daily should not become
To the motion OF the cars; ne, /
imseIf, walks up and down as easily as
lie sailor on ShIpboard, and does not cOnr
rehend how simple Iurch can so com
,leteiy destroy ones equilibrium; ne stops
,ere to steady lady swinging to a strap,
eT head; he picks up the old gentleman,
whose weight has brought down the other
tanding passengers like a row OF tenpins,
nd wonders why they can't learn to stand
lone
A never-failing source OF amusement TO
be conductor is the different ways people
ave of insisting ON paying one another's
are.
With men IL is like this:
"I1l pay; l have TO buy tickets, any
7ay."
II have some already; III pay
IAN right; thank you
With young girls;
Now. Mamie. you stop. 1 am going
D pay"
You shan't, Daisy. I've got to get
cRets"
so have l. Now, stop
No, l will not-there. l beat YOU
''Oh, you mean thingr'
Another amusing class are the absent
minded who leave their belongings in
arA,dp,alGlg .dffA's, |.