The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-20
A PRETTY WOMAN's MISTAKE.
1t Cost the WeII-GrOomed Man d
Double Fare.
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times
She is young, prosperous and dainty
married woman, and as good az she is
handsome-which Is saying great deal.
Her code of morality and personal conduct
has had none of its clearly cut angle worn
away by the world. II has been a favorlte
declaration OF hers that while she had in
her life done and said wicked things. eho
hoped to have it told Of her truthfuny after
death that she had never been guilty Of
an act or word OF meanness.
She was returning a few days ago from
buying tour OF the big shops-her code
prohibits Shopping as unjust and waste
full of timc-and at Twenty third street and
Fourth avenue took transfer and boarded
an uptown car. She noted with approving
eyes an unusually well-groomed and i'm
pressive looking man. who climbed into the
car as she did and occupied the same seat
with her. Then she resumed the calcula-
ton of expenditures. In which she had
been absorbed, furtively counting with the
fingers and thumb OF her left hand.
She was reused by the inslstence OF the
conductor. lie was short fare he said.
He had collected but one from that seat,
and two passengers were there
She recoHected distinctly that she had
surrendered her transfer ticket and said
so. The man on the same seat said he had
paid cash
The conductor fingered Ono Of the two
was delinquent; he could not say which.
lie inquired in an nsnuating voice wheth-
er Il was right that he should lose the
nickel from his wages.
She felt that II had become a question
of principle. There was Indignation IN
the glance she gave the well-groomed
man She was determined that his ne
farious attempt to secure free ride should
not succeed at her expense and her deter
mnation was expressed in her face. The
man flushed and hestated and with con-
fused protest handed the conductor
nickel
The incident impressed her with the
depths OF meanness and depravity, TO
which It Is possible for well-dressed peo-
pie to fall, and che thought OF ii put a
scornful little curve I'm her lips as she
brushed by the man when she left the
car. She was slightly vainglorious over
her own iirmness In defeating the plot, and
when she got home began TO tell her hus-
hand Of the incident. While she talked
she pulled off her gloves. From the right
ore crumpled transfer ticket. that had
been tucked against her wrist, fiuttered
to the carpet It was the one possible
and ndisputable thing that could have
convinced her that her memory had de-
ceived her
She has not yet discovered In the affair
the element of hunor which her husband
finds. When he suggested that she should
insert a personal in all the morning news
papers asking the well-dressed, handsome
gentleman who noticed lady in a silk shirt
waist in Fourth avenue car to cali at
her home address, she was distinctly an
CRY, and remarked that when she next
needed sensible advice in most mortify-
ing and shameful situation she would ap-
ply to somebody capable of taking a seri-
Gus view Of serious matter. She is
reluctant to go into the streets or ride
on cars. for she honestly feels that IL
she should meet the well-groomed man
anywhere she would die of shame before
she could explain that she did not intend
to tell lie and impose on a strangers
chlvalry to save a scent piece