Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
MOTOR MANS Phil SOPHY.
Glimpse Of Life IS From the Bow Of Trolly Car


1t was pleasant night Mr.. Ray
Benham's clerical duties had required
his presence downtown until after
midnight closing up the balances for
the day. To him the fresh night air
and the deserted front platform of the
Gar suggested the thought that here
was an excellent chance to enjoy a
smoke on the ride homeward. So he
climbed on the platform and stood be-
side the motorman, a powerfully built,
athletic- ooking young Irishman,, per-
haps ~ years Of age.
Got a match, George?" queried Ben
ham.
Match is it? Well, now, that
have. What good would a motorman
he what had NO match, do you sup
pose? And what for are We thinkin' me
name is George?"
"Oh, George is pretty good all
around kind Of name, and l just
thought you looked as though you
might be George. Don't you like that
name?"
81 guess you're all right, Cap. George
do be good name, and, as tar as that
goes, don't the poet say rose what
YOU call anything else is got just as
much perfumery into it and costs
Sivinty five cints a dozen all the same?
For what good is a name, anyway,
In these days whdn man that's earnin'
his bread by the sweat of his brow is
NO man at all, but just bejees number,
and wan of the component parts of a
vast and overwhelmin' Industrial ma
chine? How's that fer Grafton on the
degineracy of the times?"
That's all right, George; that's all
right. What kind of a West Lake
street anarchist dungeon are you nigh
priest OFF" 80 f
The motorman gave vent to a hearty
laugh and replied, as he twisted the
brake for Van Buren, street: Them
there is a little song | learned in
meetin' of the Social Democracy, and
been a-standini here on this plat
form rehearsin' that same for over
three weeks, and you're the first gintle-
man I've had chance to spring 'er on.
feel better now I've got rid of it.
Say, what do you think of them fellies,
anyway, that gifts up and shoots their
gab by the square yard into us poor
divils that's willin' to work fer livin'
Wages?"
What do you think of them?" Wont
you smoke one with me?" said Ben
hahn, handing the motorman a cigar.
There's nobody on this car going to
report you"
Thank you, Mr.. Vanderbilt; thank
you. I'LL light her up when we get
by Thimy-ninth street. You niver can
tell what sneakin' divils they is
watchin' you up this way. But as was
sayin', I want to ask you jist wan ques-
t1ion, Mr.. Roosevelt"
What are you calling me?'
well, Roosevelt is pretty good all
around sort of name these days, and
I tho't-"
tHonse on me" interrupted Benham.
"Have anothe one to smoke after
breakfast. It'sf all right. My name is
Benham Now if you're not George,
what is your hame?"
\ My name innegan-Martin, Fin
began; or, be the teetotal whole
i9g. I am 0ar{ip Joseph Patrick Fin
ID. TN NO SSpaniard you can
Tess that from me baptismal appella-
$ion. What dye think O. that for a
Fhing to call a name? got them two
twords from young priest from Notre
Dame that was ridin' with me the 9TH
ef night. Say, but he was all right,
tRis young priestly felly was. He had
nbt been dom a thing oh, no, l guess
HE hadn't; not that evenin' He said
he had been studyin' life in the haunts
o. death. Anyhow, he had whole lot
o. information on the subject, and he
was quallyfyin' to the queens taste
fer a sermon on the haunts O. death.
Say, now, there's wan thing I've notice
ed good deal on this run, and I'd
like to ask you wan question.
"You started to ask one a minute
ago when l stopped you with that
name; what was that
"Niver mind that now, that'll keep.
But what l was goin' to ask you, as an
intelligent citizen, is, what do you
think about these here slummin' par
ties that you sees down here most ev
cry night Dye think that's a good
thing fer decent Sunday school man
to be dom along with a flock O. them
white-ribbon daisies that goes off to
Callyforny or Nova Scotia livery year
to a convintion of Christian Endeavor,
or what dye call 'em?"
''It's dead wrong" said Benham.
Nov, amt it? Say, Mr.. Benham,
now femme tell you, if l caught me
own brother dom that same trick with
a lamb of a lady that didn't know any
better say, I'd take him out on the
roof O. my woodshed and I'd lam him
with a bedslat till he got on to thing
5 or two, that's what l would. Now, did
any one ever hear of any good comm