Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-02
CHARACTER IN G0NGs
A GRIPMAN REFLECTS HIS MODES IN
HIS SIGNALS.
When Sad He Rings MournfulIy-
When a Little Hand Waves .
Greeting His Bell Rings
Out Right MerriIy.

Something's wrong with Jim to-day"
observed a fur-clad gripman yesterday on
the Ninth street line as he swunS his arms
TO restore the circulation while waiting
for the conductors ~'go-ahSsd' signal II
was just at the curve At the new cfry
postofice and a red ear had just passed
with a soft clang OF the bell
Who's Jim?" inquired a passenger who
was seated on the grip for the sole pur-
pose of enjoying a cigar.
Jim? Why. he's the sripman on that
car which just passed
What makes YOU think there's some
thing the matter with him
Why by the way he rings his bell g
course. Didn't you notice what a mourn
sful ring il had2 Jim's the jolliest nan
that handles q grip. and when a man has
a tit OF the blues ii cures rim Just 20 hear
his ring. You don't believe that. DO YOU
as he put on the brakes at a signal from n
the car had PASSED and then waved her
arms fraDtically. But its a fact.
npo you mean 70 tel me- mat you esn
his bell?' was the astouishsd question
Better than that ma At the top Of he
Rialto building can tell a storm by tbs
as the car swung around the curve a.
Washington street 4 gripman mas 4
powerful lot OF tim. 20 think He = sup
posed TO ring his bell every time ne passes
i car. and he comes 10 Go This without
thinking OF II. Just as he walks. or b-es;as=
or does ANYTHING else There's something
wrong with Jim. I'm sure OF that
There are all sorts of rings among The
gripmen. but the most popular one win
many variations. IS what might Be termed
the military signal. Il has six strokes
one Ions. three short. a space. a short
and a long.
Is the ring which all OF the Jolly men who
are knights OF the cable grip Use Il Is a
succession of short notes following long
ones at equal intervals
And when the man who has hold OF the
cord has a great deal OF decision Of char
acter. a man with a square Jaw and =
family. his decision il reelected in the per-
sistent and vigorous rings he gives out
Some of the men pride themselves vsry
much upon their manipulation OF The bel
cord. and some Of them fairly make the
instruments siLg. There is ore gr:przn On
a Troost avenue car who can Be told vhet4
he is still half a dozen blocks away
=, i ,he J. comes JSnaSen' say tns nss
in the day and sure enough IT. q short
time the yellow car will come bowling
and Grand. and you viii hear Johnson
signal-a long one. two short ones q long
one and a whole lot of short ones
1t is something alarming in the extreme
ard frightens one when suddenly sprung
almost as much as the cry of old "Wide-
awake" at the Junction johnson IS a
big, joyial, Captain Boytho-re. with 4
deep. powerful voice. who busters through
life with an air that frightens people al
most as much as his bell But he has the
reputation of being the biggest hearted
man on the road. and one OF the best grip
men.
A grip car is not much OF a place for a
timid man. but there are some of them vho
creep in almost unawares- And their rings
are very much the same as themselves.
quiet and weak. a succession of little taps.
There are a number Of rings which vary
from these largely ard when you hear
them, just watch the gripman- You viii
notice that he ia not ringing in = per
functory manner and also that he has his
gaze turned in a certain direction And I.
you will follow the direction of his eyes
you will most likely see 4 fair face at a
window along the way. perhaps in the
doorway, and there may be some tiny little
baby hand that will be waving the bie
man at the grip a loving greeting And the
| gripman's bell will then ring out a merry
tune and p~erchance IL you get a good look
! into his weatherbeaten face you win see a
light there that will make you think better
TOWARD all mankind and toward that one
big man in particular.