The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-29
WITH A LOCAL SETTING.

WITH A LOCAL SETTING.
Many really honest people. patrons Of
the indianapolis street-car lines, have. UNI
der present conditions. no conscientious
scruples about getting off a car without
paying fare when the conductor has neg
lected TO ask them for its tender. free
street-car ride with the connivance Of
street-railway employees is something Of a
novelty. A free ride with combination of
such connivance and neglect is rare.
The other night man got on car south
of the tunnel He held a ticket in his
hand ready for the conductor but II was
not taken up. At Maryland street one of
the inspectors got on the car followed py
a relief conductor The man still held the
ticket and gave 1t to the new conductor,
with the remark, East Washington trans
fer, please" The employe went into the
car, collected several fares and then re-
turned to the rear platform. Here, take
this, he said, pushing ticket into the
hand of the man who wanted the transfer.
About that time the trolley flew the track.
This caused an outburst of muffied remarks
which caused smiles to play over the faces
of passengers The man whose ticket had
been returned was in facetious mood
and said: whats the matter? Not feeling
right to-night?" The conductor replied with
an oath or two: mo; this business Of SELL
ing tickets and punching transfers is driv-
ing me daffy." The purchase OF s. worth
of blues and " worth of ''yellows from
the man on the corner did not tend to put
the conductor in good humor. The con-
ductor tired of his job. but as he was
yet working it was evident he had not told
the street-car management of his troubles.
The man whose ticket had been returned
got off the car and boarded another going
east on Washington street. He rode sew
eral blocks with a ticket in his hand and
got off with ii yet in his possession. Some
how the conductor with five passengers
missed the fare and the passenger got a
free ride after passing three conductors.
Three young men sat in a cafe. They
were drinking amber-colored liquids. They
were telling stories. One told of the effect
Of little things on his life. Another young
man came in and catching the drift of the
conversation, settled himself in a chair be-
fore a glass which had been filed for
him. much to his delight for he hadn't a
cent with him.
Some people think little things don't
amount to much" said he. "but I'm here
to tell you they do"
''Oh, / don't know said one of the
gang. You're pretty much little things
and / can't see that you amount to a
great deal"
Cant help it now, but let me tell you.
I've had a whole case of petty annoyances
lately and all because of q little thing. 1t
was like this Once upon a time
Come on fellows. Let's CO."
"Oh, now wait q minute. About two
months ago / started eating suppers at
one of the hotels
Through YETI" from one of the gang.
''At first 1 paid every week."
Remarks of That's funny," How'd you
do itY' etc, interrupted, but he continued:
1.-THE clerk did not seem inclined to present
my bill when due and"
Surely that clerk didn't know his bust
ness" Nor you." said another.
''Then it ran for two three weeks.
then month and when 1 asked for my
bill"
Imagine fellows. You know who's tell
ing this.
though it was not large it bothered me be-
cause when it was paid there would be
nothing left of my So per-"
when did you get raise" queried the
gang.
Think of being broke for a week or two,
or three, just because hotel clerk would
not make out a bill. OF course the money
that would have been paid every"
do you think 1T would, fellows?"
Paid every week was spent for some
thing else, principally"
well, didn't see any Of it spent" said
one. Don't believe you ever spent any
thing" said another.
''And then l had another bill due. This
was $40. l got a notice to pay on Satur-
day. Monday was pay day. l had meal
ticket and the ten-spot, so / thought I'd
pay. Besides the ten / had two pennies.
In the afternoon / went to one of my
accustomed haunts and on the way bought
an afternoon paper. Some OF my friends
got hold of the paper and / went away
without it. had to have paper. needed
ii In my business"
''What'd you been doing all day instead
of working" was asked.
'Well, / needed that paper and there
was nothing to do but get one, so l broke
the tenner. Then 1 didn't have enough by
cents to pay the bill and l didn't cause
] couldn't Thought I'd wait till Monday.
Monday came and L had So left. 1 neg
lected paying the bill after drawing my
Sc per and that night was "coaxed' into
not lucky and picked out $l.60 to save for
the light bill. Someway l got into that
SLIGO and the next day 1 had but $l.45. /
didn't feel as IL should pay ION account
on a 81 so bill so didn't and within the next
three days received three notices to pay
SLIGO. That night l thought I'd take Sl.25
and pay the gas bill. A few moments later
met a young woman and asked her to eat
with me. Think Of it, fellows, with all OF
s145 in my roll. We ate, but when l got
out l didn't have enough to pay the gas
BILL They kept at me three days with no.
tees to pay $l.25 for January or course,
a man in my standing couldn't go and tell
| had to eat and couldn't pay, so didn't
Then. TO cap off with. my meal ticket was
about gone. Just one meal left How to
make Il last four days was a problem
didn't want to make any awkward ex-
plantations about being shy the price. Two
nights forgot my ticket, the third night
/ forgot to explain that forgot my ticket
again and the fourth night / turned In my
one meals check and said I'd get another
Monday. An then, there was my smoking
tobacco. Stuck it on my desk. Just enough
to last me till pay day, but the gang got
at il and was without smoking over Sun
day. And all that just because Of cents.
=
See that fellow" said the barber. well
he's about the busiest man in town,
guess. He comes in here every other day
Flops into a chair. this one or that one
there and says. after turning to look at the
clock I've got just two minutes. Well
hurry, get him out and then he sits dowr
and looks at Puck and Judge, reads every
word and goes out to come in the second
day after the busiest man in town, TO tel
again of his hurry to get out Reminds
me very much of folks running and taking
great chances of personal injury to pass
| over a track in front of an express train
| and then stand and watch IL go by