The Southern herald., 1899-03-10
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! THE MOTORMAN !
+ Observations from the Front Platform on tie Ways of Women
q Who Patroniss Electric Cars Z
s. o-4sH 1883 By CHARLES B. LEWIS :
j. ..f.S


al used to believe in all this talk
about women being next Goor 10 an
gels" said the motoTman, as he checked
up for a sand wagon TO pass ahead Of
him, shut ] had it all knocked out Of
me in three months after took a car.
They may be good enough angels
around homo, but I'm tellin' you that
the average woman, when out on the
street, is the biggest kicker on the face
Of the earth, and has the least respect
for other peoples feelings. She also
shows less average intelligence about
street cars than the boy seven years
old"
He sounded the gong at side street,
shook his fist at boy rolling hoop
in the street, and continued:
This car line is 20 years Old. Itruns
straight across town. There is a sign
on every car. 1t is not the Green Ave
nue., Park Avenue, Tenth Street or
Union Depot line. 1t doesn't go TO the
post office, the Academy of Music, the
Geological Gardens, or the Museum of
Natural History, Every car which does
60 to those places has a sign on it.
New, then, after explaining all this,
how many women do you suppose
board this car daily under a mistaken"
Five, perhaps" | said,
"0ver 20, sir. There are AZ cars on
the line, and it is safe TO put the num-
Der OF women who get on the wrong
car at 200 every day. Why do they
do itP Because the average woman
goes sloshing around, thinking Of any
thing but where she wants TO 60, and
she wouldn't read sign board If il
was held under her nose. There's
woman right at the door who got on
two blocks before you did. I'll bet a
dollar TO a cent she wanted TO 90 up
Fourth avenue. She's lookin' into va
cancy now and thinkin' about sale
Of gloves for 80 cents, but we'll soon
hear from her"
He was right. At the next corner the
woman began to look around in puz-
zled way and suddenly sprang up and
called to the conductor:
"Hi ther, stop the car! This is not
Fourth aveuUe!'
'No, ma'am, it isn't" was the reply.
"Then why did you take me on this
car? You know very well | wanted
Fourth avenue. I'll go TO the office
about this!'
That's the style" said the motor
man after she had descended and given
the conductor a contemptuous look.
"She stood on the crossing and took the
first car which came along, trustin' TO
tie Lord, as it were, that it would be
the right one. Then she blames tie
conductor because she was wrong, 1t
happens so often that ! sometimes
wonder how the average woman ever
gets down town and back again with
out a guardian. There's the bell for
that woman in weeds 10 get off, and you
just watch the programme"
The widow rose and moved halfway
down the car There she stopped TO
shake hands with an acquaintance, and
10 explain that she was getting ready
to go TO California After 40 seconds
the conductor called out TO her to step
lively. She made two lively steps, and
then stopped TO shake hands with an
other woman, and ask her If she went
TO Albany the week before and how she
liked the town. Thirty-six passengers
we're detained nearly two minutes, and
then the widow tossed her head and
sauntered slowly out.
"lf she didn't know anybody on the
car she'd drop a hairpin and spend
two minutes lookin' for it, laughed the
motorman.
"There's a score like her who think
this line is run for their benefit Now,
then, we are in for a row. That old
lady on the corner always picks fuss y
us this the Green avenue carp
queried the woman, as we came to q
stop.
Not to-day, ma'am," was the an
swer.
Then why didn't you say SO at
hrsti"
"You didn't give me time, ma'am, and
as you've lived on this line for ten
years supposed you knew il wasn't"
you've no business TO suppose" ex-
claimed the woman as she slowly adj
vanced. Don't make any difference
how long I've lived here; am not
obliged to burden my mind with the
different street car lines. Conductor.
why don't you help me up the stepI"
The conductor assisted her up and
she fell into a seat with a sort of
groan. When the car had gone two
blocks he came for her fare. but as be
held out his hand she said:
why don't you carry a sign on this
car that it is not the Green Avenue
line?"
I'VE do, ma'am."
"But didn't see IT. You have no
right to mix people up the way you do.
shall get off down here, and shan't
pay no fare for this little ride!"
"I've seen that performance fifty diff
ierent tines" said the motorman,. as
he went ahead. 81 have often wondered
whether she ever got the Green avenue
car or not. think not. | think she
Mmply wants 10 kick about something.
This woman waiting on the wrong
crossing is the one we call 'Girly,' She's
ifty years old. but she'll try 10 show-otf
like a girl OF twenty. II she could do it
and not waste our time it would 0e all
right, but now you watch how things
60"