The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-01-10

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labor saving device, doing away with the
necessity of frequent calls at the ticket
office, but it also made travel very much
cheaper, and this was an important point
with Jim, who, being millionaire over
again, naturally had a 'close -fsted eye,
as, his gardener used to say.
One morning Peter McKim came through
the smoker with his usual remark, Click
cts, gentlemen, please" Mr.. Blades was
busily talking with an acquaintance, and
as he talked he ran forefnger and thumb
absent mindedly into the ticket compart-
ment of his coat, then into his vest pocket,
next searched his trousers, and finally said
to the waiting conductor -
GIVE forgotten my ticket. I'll give
1t to you tomorrow
| Blades went on with his conversation.
The conductor stood at his elbow for a mo-
ment, then remarked quietly =
Perhaps it is in your pocketbook, Mr..
Blades
"No, l never keep it there. You can
puncl. two holes in it tomorrow.
'I N sorry, sir, but that's against the
rules. must have your ticket or charge
you full fare. -
Nonsense - cried the speculator, an
| noyed at the man S persistence, ''I' IN not
the first person who $ forgotten his ticket.
It's quite usual to punch two holes the
next day
''Not on this train, sir.
'sThs train? What's the matter with
this train? Amt we as honest as on any
other train p
There was a laugh, and some one said,
''The Bunco Brigade [ move Jim be
elected president of it. While another
remarked, "No use, jim The conduc-
tor 8 been nipped in Wall Street before
Pay up all of which, though good hu
mored, seemed to incense Mr.. Blades still
! more.
II mean by this train, explained Me-
Kim, 'that dom do that sort of thing.
Other conductors may. but that s nothing
to me. have to obey the company's or
ders, and l either punch ticket or col
lect the fare
ooh, you do, do you? What does
your company amount to, anyway? Stock
down to 133,'' said Jim, with the con-
tempt of man who dealt with large and
/ prosperous railways. And now came the
t time for the conductor to lose his temper,
which, of course, was inexcusable.
at won't make the stock 90 up, if
passengers succeed in beating their way
over the line. l want your ticket or
| dollar.
James Blades became white round the
lips TO be fouted thus by one Of the
most insignificant servants of one of the
poorest lines in the United States was un-
bearable to him-a man to whom railways
and consultations of railways were merely
counters in the game he habitually played.
He rose from his seat, and stood in the
passage, confronting the intrepid conduc-
tor There had been good deal of hilar-
ity in the Car at the beginning of the con-
troversy, but now silence fell, and interest
+ became intense. None there had ever
seen Jim Blades angry before, and all
wondered which of the two would give way.
The conductor was technically in the right,
but tactically in the wrong. Every man
present knew that the company would not
sustain him for thus batting so great a man
as Blades over the insignificant sum of a
dollar, and they felt sorry for the conduc
tor, even while they had IA certain sympa
thy for the attitude of the passenger.
"Do you mean to say that | have tried
to beat the road?''
''I say | want your ticket or dollar. .
''Do you say l tried to beat the road?'
II M not here to answer your conum-
drums. My business is to collect fares.
I'll trouble you for a dollar.
"Well, you won't get it, And look
here, Mr. Man, you Il be off this road and
looking for another job before this time
tomorrow
''That's all right. | may be off the
road tomorrow, but you Il be off this train
in less than ten minutes if you don fork
out dollar, and that mighty sudden, too. .
"Wholl put me off,
II will. -
'.Tust you try ii.
s'Do you refuse to pay
"Yes, do.
The conductor raised his right hand to
the communication cord suspended above
the center of the aisle, and gave it a short,
sudden Jerk. The silence was SO profound
that every man in the car heard the scizz
of steam in the engine ahead, which told
the driver to stop the train. Next instant
there echoed through the train the brief
toot of the whistle by which the engineer
answered the signal As the train slowed,
Peter McKim crooked his finger toward a
sullen brakeman who stood by the door at
the farther end of the car, and the man
came forward beside the chief. By a
quick movement the men acted simultan
eously, and grasped Mr.. Blades by wrist
and shoulder, not only holding him help
less, but dragging him, in spite of resist
ance, toward the door Although jim S
mind was a match for all New York, his
physical qualities would not have met the
approval of Mr.. Muldoon.
At this juncture the man with whom
Jim had been talking arose and interfered.
"Hold on, conductor, you are going
too far. You surely do not intend to put
Mr.. Blades off in the middle of swamp?
'I'm going to do that very thing,
said McKim grimly.
'No, you are not. Garry him to
Brooklyn and make your complaint there
If you want to.
II favor or disfavor no man on this
train. If a man acts like a gentleman,
he'll be treated like gentleman; if he
acts like tramp, he'll be treated like
tramp
There was a democratic flavor about
this statement that appealed to the ma
Jority. Besides, they resented the out
side interference which threatened to spoil
first -clacS rom