Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-01-06

S~V w
And when he had read it he looked as
If he did not desire any further acquaint-
ance with q person who had only ST. rs
cash left.
In a few minutes the conductor came
through the crowded car and gathered up
his tickets. He took the ''smooth'' mans
Riverside ticket, punched it and added it
to his bundle and reached over and stuck
q white slip in tho BAND of the other mans
hat and passed IN to get 400 or 500 more
tickets from the other passengers. The
smooth" man made no attempt to renew
his conversation with his seatmate and at
Morton Park rose and strolled forward
into tho smoking car, where he pulled a
big black cigar from his pocket and smoked
placidly untittho train passed Downer's
Grove. Here the conductor looked at him
as he passed, walked ON a few steps, stop
ped and turned back.
"Where do you get off2'' he asked.
The "smooth" man looked up q minute
with an air Of mild surprise, then Hicked
the ash off his cigar and said, II go
through to Cedar Rapids"
"Where's your train check, then?'' asked
the conductor.
II don't know" said the ''smooth''
man. "~Perhaps-no, I guess you didn't
give me any. I'm sure you didn't. I re-
member now."
"Young man" said the conductor stern.
Is, ''if you haven't got that train check
you will have to get off at the next stop.
That's all there is about that.
Conductor" retorted the young man
III calm, even tones, II don't believe you
Will put me off this train. I don't know
anything about your train check, and I
dent care a continental, but I do know
thct I've paid my fare and that you took
my ticket, and I propose to ride to my
journeys end or your company will have
g nice little damage suit on it's hands,"
The conductor looked at him keenly,
and he sustained tho look with a cool,
steady stare. Then he laughed.
"Ch, I don't want any trouble about
it!' he said. "I'm not hunting damage
suits. I'd soone pay my fare again, in
fact, If 1 hadn't lost some money just be.
fore I got on the train. BY George!" he
exclaimed suddenly, with the light of in.
spiration illuminating his face. "Why,
sure! I can prove that you've got that
ticket"
"Wellp" said the conductor.
"Why, it's this way: I started out with
$40 and I lost $40. I figured it out on the
back of my ticket before I gave it to you.
See here"-taking an envelope and writ.
ing or the back of it-"you take this and
look over your tickets. If you don't find
that identical memorandum in my hand.
writing On the back of my ticket, you can
put nut of, or rather I'll get off without
trouble" Saying which the ''smooth''
man smiled confidently and leaned back
comfortably in his seat and resumed bis
cigar.
The conductor took the envelope in q
serious, noncommittal sort Of way and
walked of with 1t. In q few minutes he
returned, his face wreathed in apologize
smiles.
"Well, it's on me, I guess" he said,
"I've got to ask your pardon. You Sec
there's so much suburban travel on THU
line q man Is liable to get mixed up, but
I want to say to you that It's something ]
don't do once in 100 years. I wouldn't
have believet I'd forgotten to give you
check. It's lucky for you that you made
that memorandum"
guess II WAS" said the "smooth"
mani Then he added a. the conductor
was moving o6, "Aren't You going to CIV
me that cheok noWi"
why, 81 ooursel" exclaimed the con,
ductoe. you've eot M rAttlak. suss."-
Qhioaeo Record.