The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-30
WOES OF A MULE
CAR M0T0RMAN
Has Many vicssitudes, But IS Pa
tent, and Says Nothing
PUNCHED WITH AN UMBRELLA
When lie Doesn't Hustle-he Is III
Danger Of Nervous Prostitution
Some Peculiaritics OF This
Means of Transportation
PUNCHED WITH AN UMBRELLA

Iyanv one IS justified I'm having nervous
nrostration. Il IS the motormen-conductorS
on the Richmond bob-tail mule car esps-
ciauy after they have passed over the
BROAD street end OF the trip.
Won may smile 90 this II you Ike. but
n IS the truth, and n few hours OF the eA-
uerience Of tho faithful men who PRESIDE
At the front OF the bob-tals Will be CON
yincing. ...
But he IS O. patient man. and says MOTH
in. .s.or
p9ssinc F0usheo and Broad streets tnal
the real FUN goes on. Especially Is TINS
true during the hours most devoted 10
shopping. The cars arc then pretty Wen
crowded with ladies', and a great many
rersons get on the bob-tau because the
fare IS three cents, ana transfer -
given 10 the electric cars
SHREWD MULES
As soon as the cars begin 10 NIL TWO
ar three pe0ple Will jump up and run
for the front end, all demand change lot
e cents. 10 cents. or - cents, as the
case may be. out OF which 20 pay their
fare and may be that of a friend Trans
fars are almost invariably wanted. ana
each person wants change and transfers
III the same time, and al expected 20 Dc
waited on first
AS soon as the motorman-conductor
begins % punch transfers the trained ears
of the corn and hay motors catch the
sound, and knowing the whip Is not III
his hand they take rest. The motor
man conductor stops punching transfers
a moment % punch the mules-in other
words TO reo.ace the trolley the
impatient passengers begin % shout rum
ny remarks al him.
But the mOtOrman-cOnductor Is pa
ffaut man. and doesn't even say q "pfd
when two or three hands are thrust
through the front window and grasp MS
shoulders TO remind him that 1--WE are
waiting
Maybe by the time the poor man has
punched q few more transfers ana mdde
some more change, driver has oo-
structod the track with wagon ana
then the way has 10 be cleared. Inc
imuatieut passengers get warmer ana so
does the m0tOrmau-conduclof, b-L t|o
patient man says nothing.
rsEs AN LAlBRELLA or HIM.
When Seventh street is passed soodly
share of tine passengers alsht and take
IN the electric cars. About This time some
elderly woman OF austere mieu Will quiet
ly slip aside the Nttle opening used in the
winter for passing change and transfers
and lab an umbrella into the motorman
conductors back or hip, his height de-
ferm,uiug that. OF course he doesn
like a. but Doe can't fuss az woman and
they just glare a. each other moment
until she demands "a transfer 10 Main
street"
Sometimes the applicant for A transfer
waits until the car starts down Eighth
street. The hin is quite steep and bob
tan cars have % Doe plotted down care
fully While the CHIEF engineer Is do
ing this duty he may get two or three
more jabs from the umbrella and a tongue
lashing besides for not being 10 hurry
But he is a patient man and says
nothing.
When Ninth street IS reached nearly
everybody alights and may be few
new people get on hut they are through
passengers. The "tug horse IS hitch
cd on and the b0b-au dragged 10 the
top OF the hm the mOt0rmau-conductor
in the meantime regaining his cOmposure
and rubbing The sore spots whore the
old family umbrella has been iabbed. He
knows his worst troubles are over until
he starts back down town again.
WHEN MULES KICK.
The mot0rman-conductor has other
trials also. The average pedestrian who
would jump ten feet IL an electric motor
car was near him feels the utmost dis
dain FOR the cars propelled by feed-store
motors and viii scOrnfully walk under
the noses . the jogging mules The re-
suit is the cars and mules have frequent
ly 10 be brought mp with a sudden jerk
which also gives the mules a hard pull.
IL the foot passenger notices Il AZ all he
only gives a cOntemptuOus glance which
asks why mules should be 50 presump-
tuOus as to get I'm the way.
Yet people wonder why mules kick.
The Recommendation looks weary
but says nothing for he IS n patient man.
MULE CAR ETIQUETTE.
II Is part OF mule car etiquette that any
man who happens 20 be on the car shall
be gallant and pass up the fares OF the
women and get change and transfers
for them. Frequently one man has 10 do
it an for car full look pleasant all the
time and when he gets through find big
black negro occupying his seat
In the presence OF the ladies' he can't
cuss There isn't room for a scrap"
So the impatient man says nothing but
"long. long thoughts are hls'n"-ugly
naughty thoughts that pass through his
mind as he looks dreamiy out Of the
window and hears some silly young thing
giggle al his predicament
-'--'---'--------------~