The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-05
trolley Types.

Trolley Types.
To the Editor of the journal and Courier:
"Some people just can't keep still.
They're always asking questions, and
they never see the signs that are meant
for them" The speaker was John
Twist, motorman.
what signs?" I asked.
why, the Don't talk to the motor
man. Wait until the car stops and
other signs of that Sort
John and l had known each other be-
| fore the days when he was a sub on
the front PLATFORM and before l had
gained my right to ride with a pass as
a member of the company. John might
have been in my place and l in his had
| it not been for the fact that he lacked
the pulp / obtained; and, although we
We're friends, / could not manage to
have the pull extended to him. We
were discussing the world in general
| and trolley passengers in particular
while waiting the allotted time to start
the car on the return trip. | often took
ride during an off hour and this was
one of them.
| People bother me great DEAL" John
continued. "And sometimes they talk
to each other and seem to forget that
the motorman has ears. But wouldn't
complain if they didn't ask questions.
One day a woman with her two CHI
dren got on the front seat, and if she
didn't talk! Gracious! Asked my name
the first thing
Il to11 Iot.D irr,, 4
so, l told her motormen We're lust
numbered and didn't have any names.
Then she asked where / lived was l
married, did l enjoy trolley life, did
the company have much money, how
did / ring the gong, and dozens of things
can't remember. 1 answered them all.
Told her I lived in the car all day and
in the barn at night; that I was single;
enjoyed trolley life at times; the COM
pany's money was not my affair, and
that if she watched she could see the
gong work. l wound up by asking her
to please read the Don't talk to the
motorman' sign, and she left at the next
corner"
"Do men ever bother you that way?"
asked.
do they? Well. I guess they do.
Lots of them think they can run the
car as well as anybody. The other day
a man got on with ME and he wanted
to ring the gong. He was the kind that
like toys, you know. Well, l let him
put his foot on it once and then he kept
it there, ringing the thing the whole
trip down town. Finally I brought my
foot down on top of his. and what he
said was enough to supply the power
house with electricity for week. But
he got off,
Just here the conductor rung the bell
to start, and as John took his place he
said, Just watch this trip and see for
yourself"
Accordingly took the first seat inside |
the car and waited.
For some blocks no one chose the mo-
tormans seat, but at last three young |
ladies climbed up, remarking as they |
did so that it was $50 much cooler"
One was apparently several years older |
than her companions, and had reached |
the stage of "fads," for she carried a
kodak, while suspended by long chain |
around her neck was 'junk" colec- |
ton worth noting. Besides the inevita
BILE soldiers button, rabbits foot and |
fOur-leaf- Glover charm was baby |
tooth mounted in silver and plate /
from some baseball hero's shoe. She
began by pointing her kodak at my
friend John, and, laughing, asked if she
could snap it; but did so before he could
reply. Then, producing a silver heart
from among her jingling pendants, she
opened it that her friends might gaze at
the picture inside. isn't he a dear?"
she asked HE really is much hand
soner than that, you know. Really he
is she reiterated to convince them.
This" she said, toying with the tooth,
lis one of his dear little 'toofies when
he was a baby. Isn't it sweet?" Her
laughed pronounced it
"cute," dear" fetching" and then
each one displayed some souvenir of
her Jim or Charles, meanwhile telling
all his virtues and talents. / rose to
get off at my corner and as the car
went on | could still hear laughter and
a few scattered words. Little did I
envy my friend John, and as l ran up
stairs to my office ] vaguely wondered
how Tom, jim and Charlie could be lit
tie more than skeletons, if the various
parts of them that had seen We're real
ly genuine. 1T"