The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-18

to step out and let me pass. 1 simply
can't get through"
The conductor jabbed one of the
human barricades, under his 'steenth
rib, and beloved, Let 'em out" A
frowning man landed suddenly
against the tail-board of the car; the
woman, Strengthening her hat, step
ped of the car, and the conductor
jerked the bell. The car swung off
to the accompaniment of a rapid fire
! dispute between the conductor and
the man who had landed against the
tail-board.
1t was one night during the holiday
rush that a woman, gowned in black
velvet, set off with an ermine stole,
found herself crowded almost past the
breathing point with a throng of
clerks and office women homeward
bound. AS so frequently happens I'M
| der such circumstances, her rich dress
! ing commanded the courtesy denied
mere womanhood. A youth rose with
alacrity and offered her seat. Half
| dozen weary women, swaying from
as many straps, exchanged signifi-
cant glances. Then they received a
shock. The woman in velvet and err
mine looked over her shoulder, though
| still holding the vacant seat by a
graceful gesture.
II am not at all tired" she said
| sweetly. Then she added more quiet
| ly, as she indicated a pale-faced young
woman on the edge of the circle,
Won't you take this seat? You look
| quite worn out"
The circle widened, and women who,
under other circumstances, would have
! run a race for the coveted place, made
way for the chosen one.
A young woman who had been pay
ing Sunday afternoon call brought
| home this tale.
Such a funny thing happened on
the car coming down. You know how
| the Columbus avenue car is always
making sudden curves. Well, an old
blind man who evidently prides HIM
self on his independence just the same,
was trying to make US believe that
| there was nothing the matter with
! him. He pushed his way in with a
| cane, fumbled for strap, and then
stood up quite straight-such a pa
thetic figure.
Then it dawned upon everyone at
once that something was wrong. A
man at the further end of the car
stood up and waved violently at the
man who couldn't see him, of course.
By the time he was steered in the d.
rection of the seat, another man en-
tered at the front door and nonchan-
| lantly took possession of the vacant
seat. No one felt called upon to ex-
plain the situation to the newcomer
| Then a. young fellow in the middle of
the car tried to help out the blind
man, but a sudden curve threw him
into the arms of the very man he
wished to assist, and by the time he
had pulled himself together, two chat
tering girls had spread out their best
frocks and filled the narrow space.
Next, a man by the door got up
and tugged at the old chaps sleeve
only to turn round and see an untidy
looking German woman pull her little
boy into the place and grunt COM
Sol You got the seat and it's
nice, amt it, "
And what did you do?" inquired a
listener who knew the fair recoun-
ter's kindly nature.
We'll, as L happened to be sitting
just in front of the blind man, l
thought it was my cue to get up. 1
did so and-he replied that he was get
ting off at the next corner. Which he
did, and everybody in the car looked
relieved. For, you Sc, it is sometimes
| more comfortable all round to be a bit
selfish on the cars. 1 don't blame men
for not Offering their places to the
! average woman. She parts her lips
in infinitesimal mite, but her eyes are
cold and stony. What she says is
drowned by the whirr of the wheels
and the rustic of her skirts, and she
| drops into the seat with an expression
| which says very plainly:
Well, no doubt you think you've
! done something very polite, but it's no
more than l had coming to me-"