Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-07
AROUND THE EVENING LAMP.

faced each other on two long benches |
which formed the seating accommoda-
tions OF tho chr. 1t was the evening OF
July 18th, and many of the party were
weary from the day g excitements. 10 my
left was tired white man. and to MS |
left a tired colored man, who remarked
II won't forget his Fourth OF july
in deer, chanting tone. Opposite
mo was young colored woman, who
it may be said, Is the heorine of this
story. To her left was Former Council
man Mckelvey of this city; to her
right, white woman, and farther
down tho car, four or five colored men,
the last seat being occupied by Ottrey
Dumrson, the genial Dumpson of Re-
publican campaign headquarters 1850
citation, and now janitor OF the post
office. | must not forget to mention q
colored couple who were very loyey-
dovey.
When we had covered some distance
toward Wilmington, the conductor, a
young man, asked the colored woman
opposite for her fare. :.
"Man down there paid my fare"
she said.
But there did not seem to be ahy
man down there'' who was paying
her fare. She canvassed the colored
men on that side of the car but none
would admit that he was paying for
her. Ottrey Dumpson was awakened
from q doze and asked IL he knew the
woman. He promptly said he didn't,
and dozed off again. The woman re-
turned to her seat, and the conductor
| returned to remind her that she must
pay her fare. She still repeated the
imam back there" story. 1t seems
| hat ,rl, IN ha trnr n had 11uiH
one or two fares for her and had then
left the car, leaving her penniless.
| The conductor once tried a bluff
about getting her name, as il he might
have her arrested for not paying. but
the woman was sullen and not fright
eued.
| Later he announced his ultimatum,
| namely that she must leave the car at
Shellpot. He did not fail TO remind
her once or twice that she was to leave
the car at Shellpot.
BY this time those of the crowd who
remained awake became deeply inter-
ested as to the probable outcome Of the
woman's failure to pay her fare and
they were preparing themselves to see
her elected at Shellpot. Meanwhile,
some ono asked the colored man, who
had remarked that he would not forget
'this Fourth of July why he did
not pay the woman's fare.
''Do you see thatwoman down there?"
he asked, indicating towards the rear.
Yes" was the answer; "beside the
child?"
"Ya-as" .......
rs that your wife,"
"Ya-as"
4 A little while before the car reached
Shellpot Park, ex-Councilman Nickel
vey gave the Spectator a wink and
shyly passed the rennliness colored
woman a nickel.
The woman folded her arms with the
nickel out Of sight and quietly awaited
her opportunity. She had missed one
fare and the conductor had rung up
one which was to come out of his own
pocket. When the time had almost
arrived for her to leave the car at
Shellpot, the conductor was standing
in front Of her. The watching passen-
gers suddenly observed her to hand
him nickel. BY that, she had paid
her way into town. Then there was q
shout of laughter, and the tired person
to the left of the Spectator, speaking
of the conductor, exclaimed:
"You could buy that fellow for a
cent"
The conductor took IL leap under the
curtain and went out on the front
platform for awhile. The colore6
woman wore grim half smile as she
rode into the city.
At the Union boarding tent on the
Brandywine Summit oampgrounds or
Big Sunday, some of The diner,
i had to wait long while for fresf
!, drinking water. This led a minister
: to remark that there was comparison
: between the boarding tent and hell
u They cry in vain for water.
:. A friend Of Coroner Alfred d. Van
dever tells a good joke on him, TIL
coroner's father was butcher ant
when young man Alfred spent mucl
time in. the vicinity of the market
house, running errands and assistin,
n his father in other ways. One da
g while OH the way to the markethous
= he saw crowd of boys throwing snow
y balls at man who was sitting dow
= and appeared TO be asleep at Third an,
|. French streets He took compassion
on the man and running to him CAV
s him q gentle push, with q view
!, arousing him. To young Vandever'
d surprise the supposed sleeper fell owe
/ and on investigation it was discovere
.s that he was dead and had been dea
- for some time. Vandever reported hi
ar discovery to an acquaintance and q
II the latter told him the coroner woul
ia pay him $40 for finding dead body
"a he Immediately reported the matter /
m the coroner and at the same time we
"a making plans for spending the reward
10 When he had conference with til
al coroner the latter told HIM there W;
f. no provision for such reward, an
young Vandever was very much disal
la pointed. He reported his misfortune
n. as he considered it, to a friend, WI
IA told him he would be paid to testii
~ before the coroner's jury, but when Il
as inquest was held he was not callet
a. and consequently received nothing
10 all for all of his trouble.
TO William r. Cooley. captain of Il
ne Wilmington Bicycle Club, is of Il
ae opinion that wheelman in the averas
Ell cycling costume is not very attracti'
On object on public thoroughfare {
he Sundays, having come to this col
no clusion after seeing several minglir
il with the crowd on the boardwalk
al Atlantic City last Sunday.
he Samuel F. Belts, who served mar
~, years in the Board of Education, hi
er just completed tho formality Of seye
he ing his connection with that bod
an For several years he was chairman
mt the committee on fuel, heat and vel
q, tiiation, and In that capacity accum
iii lated books and papers bearing on hea
ad ing and ventilating matters, and fe