Evening journal., 1899-10-28
A,GATEMAN'S TRIALS,
MANY REQUESTS TO REFUSE AND
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.

The Kinds OF People That Miss
Trains at Railway stations in
Great Cities Means Of Evading
Regulations.
I'D like to so out to the train with
this lady"
Cant go unless you have a ticket
But I'm only going to the
please step aside and let the people
pass.
rhe woman made way for the crowd
behind her, and mixed "mean thing
and hateful bear" so literally with
her g0odbys TO her companion that the
short. ierky sentences We're highly
amusing to those who witnessed the
scene. Admission to the train shed
had been refused TO her by the door
man at the Grand Central Station.
The crowd about the door gradually
melted away the doorkeeper shouted
the warning. Five o'clock limit train
all aboard" A gong struck sharply
somewhere near the platform outside.
The doorman shouted again, less de-
iberately: "Allaboard" banged the
door, turned the key and the last
chance for the o'clock train for that
day was gone. Gone for the ordinary
traveller, for the man or woman who
does not know that there Is still
chance for the feet footed train catch
er The late man comes through the
door sprinting like a professional on a
cinder path, but less comfortable, with
grip and cane and umbrella. One
glance at the dosr shows him that the
last signal has been sounded, and
without a word he rushes past the
people who are already forming in line
for the next train, past the groups OF
idlers, sightseers, porters and passen-I
gers, 10 the north door of the station,
into the baggage room to a slat gate
which Is for the use Of station employees
only He knows how the catch works,
the gate opens. he reaches the platform
and swings himself at the risk OF life
and limb on to the rear platform Of the
last car-but he gets there. That's
the way l always catch a train" he Is
apt to say when some one who saw
his performance wonders at his meth
cd.
Life would be less burdensome to the
man at the gate If more people would
disobey the rules and catch the nov
ing trains. He would have fewer
questions TO answer to the people who
come just a minute too late. The LETT
behind men are, as a rule less philoso-
phical than the women. ITS too bad, 4"
the women say. and they put their bags
and bundles down on a seat and sit
down next to them and then they think
what the men usually say. After a
few minutes they sneak up and ask
when the next train leaves. and then
either settle down and wait or check
their belongings and leave the station.
Some worry a Bit and some put on a
don't care face open a box Of candy
which was intended for company on
the trip, and take it out in that.
Men fuss and fume and fret, and Of
ten tell us our clocks are fast and that
the timetables are wrong and make
themselves a nuisance generally" said
b the Eateman. "There Is hardly a day
that some one does not come to the
door just few minutes late, and wheI
the first steam has been blown on, hl
will tell us how he has taken trains a
all hours OF tho day and night, in al
parts Of the country, and never missed
a train before. That story Is so ole
that we know 1t by heart. Then W.
have men who want company while
they wait for their trains. and knowing
that tho man at the door has nothing
to do but change the indicator so thai
people may know at what stations tn,
next train will stop; stand at the dooi
and examine every ticket and see tina
no passenger goes out whose ticket d
not good on that train; punch all Tho
tickets; keep a record of how many
! passengers go through the door anl
where they are going: keep people
nd d a
I, all sorts Of questions from those per
taining to the weather to timetabl
, conundrums-knowin that the mai
at the door has only these little thing
20 attend TO, they make him their con
fidant and tell him where they are 90
2 ing. why they are going and whei
p they expect to return, and the poo
gateman must listen and look pleas
!, ant
Il zone of the most disagreeable per
sons who come here Is the man VIII
= has an hour or more to wait for hi
n train. and employs the time I'm visitin
q places in the neiehborhood TO Sc
8 what time it is, and to keep himsel
s awake He often does too much visit
2 ing and comes back IN an unstead
y condition and too late for his traiI
e Sometimes he loses his ticket. an
more often he thinks that he has los
n IT, and the man at the gate usual
/. .lnds it for him In an inside poke
s. and then gets jun ed on by the pas
D senger for being $50 particular and nc
n letting the man out without shown
Il his ticket
n An amusing incident took place
the station few weeks ago. A portl
y man with clothes of foreign cut. ou
Il landish baggage and q decided Ge
n man brogue, bought a ticket for
s. Western point. and then bought
sleeping berth and waited for his trai
70 to be announced. AS soon as it W,
~ called he got into line, occupied muC
- space with all his bags and bundle
IL and made people in front and behir
him uncomfortable He had no sooi
y or reached the platform than he drol
p ped his baggage and freight and pusl
ed his way back into the waiting roor
- ran mp to the police officer and sal
T. hreathlessly:
Say lost my birthmark."
M Your birthmark? Where was it?"
- Here in my pocket in"
In your pocket? That's q ni
- Mace 10 have one" said the office