Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-04-09
CONDUCTORS TRADE SECRETS.
How They Know Whose Fare Has Not
Been Paid.

How They know whose rare bhS Not
Been Paid.
"How slo l know what passengers
haven't paid their fares?" said the
st-sSt car conductor. ITO tell the
truth, I don't know; but conductors
are onto a few little tricks.
"While we glance at the passengers
as they get on it is not true that we
depend on our memory for faces to
pick out the right ones. Conductors
are just like any other persons, AMI
have no better memories for faces.
Still, we are able to tell pretty nearly
who hasn't paid his fare. l don't
know whether l am giving way
trade secret, but this is how we man
age to get almost all the fares that are
coming to us
TITS. easiest on light snowy day,
but rainy day is just as good, Or
even a windy day in summer. The
worst kind of weather in which to pick
out man or woman who owes you
nickel is on a calm. still night in sum-
mer. I know this sounds as if l were
talking of some peculiar kind of game
that needed to be stalked in certain
kinds of weather, and that isn't bad
guess, for some of them do need stalk
ing
"It's easy enough, though. For in.
stance, when there's light snow
falling, the latest person to get on
car, or the last half dozen, for that
matter, have snow on their hats,
clothing or shoes, haven't they, where
it has melted into little drops OF
moisture on other passengers who had
been sitting in warm car. linen
the men will stamp their feet every
time, and the floor shows it. Tie
women won't do that. but the snow
drops on her hat give her away. The
man. may shake them off his, but she
won't take off her hat for that, so we
have a sure thing either way.
"On rainy day it's the same way,
except we can't tell exactly who Is
the latest in, as on snowy day, but
we can get close enough to make :
guess and a bluff that usually pro-
6uces the nickel Still, an umbrella
III always sure indication. No matter
how hard or how little it is raining,
all the water seems to run OFF an um'
brella in, say, two minutes, so we get
a good line on them, too.
"On a dusty day new passenger
flecks the dust off his coat or hat,
while woman does no such thing l
don't know why she doesn't, but she
doesn't. Usually, though, she has her
veil half raised, and is either using her
handkerchief on her little nose or to
remove the dust from her eyes. Then
she may be smoothing her hair, which
has been ruffled by the wind, so it's all
easy guessing if you are observant.
"Only on very calm days, with no
snow, rain or dust, are We completiy
at sea. Then we must depend on
memory or the quick glance passen',
ger may give at another who hasn't
paid when we say 'Fare!' sort Ut
sharp like. :,
"But you don't suppose we go to all
this trouble only to prevent passen-
gers from beating their way, do you?
That Is the least of our troubles, be-
cause there isn't one out of a hundred
that isn't willing to pay. The reason
that we must watch so carefully Is
that it's bad break to ask passeE-
ger for his fare when he has pail
once.
Both men and women resent this
instantly. The men make some insult
ing remark and the women stare until
we fade away to the rear platform
The secret of being a good and popu-
lar conductor is in never asking the
wrong person for nickel, and not in
preventing a passenger from beating
ride once in a long time. The dead
beat doesn't write to the company tell
ing all about it, but the person who
thinks he has been insulted does
New York Press.