The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-01-24
CASE OF MODERN CHIVALRY.
Street Car Conductor Has Unsatisfac~
tory Experience Trying to
Right Things.

Why is it so many things happen ON
the street cars? Because nowhere else
than on the street cars do our neigh
bors settle down and remain in one
place long enough to be watched, says
the Milwaukee Sentinel.
This was well-flled car on the
Third street line. In one corner of the
car sat man in working clothes. Next
to him sat little girl, and in front of
the man stood a woman who clung to
an overhead strap and was thrown one
way or another every time the car
started or came to a sudden stop.
The conductor came through and col
lected the fare. He saw the woman
hanging to the strap. The young lady
who held on to the clapper of the bell
SO that the curfew should not wiring
on certain night could not have been
more desperately uncomfortable than
this woman.
Little girl, I'll have to ask you to al
low this lady to sit down." said the con-
ductor. ''She has paid fare and you
haven't"
mo, no, never mind" said the
woman.
YOU'D better sit down." said the con-
ductor. at won't be SO much trouble
for the little girl to stand up"
At this the child, who had been look
ing first at the conductor and then at
the woman, timidly slid down off the
seat and the woman took the vacant
place. The. child leaned against the
seat between the woman and the man
in working clothes.
The latter said to the conductors:
"It's pity you couldn't let the child
alone"
''She didn't pay any fare" explained
the conductor, land so she didn't have
first claim on the seat"
"What difference does it make to you
who gets the seats, huh? Amt you
hired to collect the fares?"
"Never you mind what I'm hired for.
know my business"
81 don't know whether you do or
not"
"Well, do" and he furiously rang
the bell for a cross street.
The woman appeared to be consider
ably worried, and some of the passen-
gers expected to see her insist on the
little girl taking the seat, but she
didn't.
eff you want the child to have seat
you can hold her on your lap" said the
conductor to the man in the corner.
81 don't care whether she has a seat
or not"
"Well, then, what are you talking
about?'
"Aw, that's all right. I don't like to
see man be too fresh.''
"If you wanted the little girl to keep
her seat why didn't you pay fare for
her?"
''You go and tend to your little old
five-cent pieces. You make me SICK"
and he looked around to the other pas
sengers to see if he was being sus-
tanned in his controversy.
81 guess you are sick; anyway,
there's something the matter with
you," retorted the conductor, and with
this brilliant repartee he passed out to
the Platform.
fed to allow the discussion to rest in
that manner. In few moments he
arose and went out on the platform,
where he and the conductor began a
heated conversation.
The passengers inside could not hear
what was said, but they could see the
excited gestures and the exchange of
defiant glances. They expected every
moment to see a blow struck, but at
one of the crossings the man in work.
ing clothes swung himself off the car,
and as he struck the ground he sent
loud parting shot at the conductor,
who was evidently surprised to see the
man jump off.
After a run of two blocks the woman
who had been the innocent cause of the
disturbing incident waved her hand at
the conductor and he pulled the rope.
When the car stopped the woman, be-
ing still flushed and embarrassed,
passed out of the car, followed by the
little girl.
Then the conductors face wasa study
of puzzled amazement. He had COM
PEELED the little girl to give up the seat
to her mother, and the man whose feel7
ings were outraged and whose pater-
nal wrath nearly precipitated a fight
had been a total stranger to the child,
a rank outsider" with some original
notions of chivalrY.