Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-11-19

| to lock the back door, or put the cat
out. The children had to get home on
the first car because they told the old
folks" they we're not going down that
evening, according to the parents
wishes. The cripples wanted in the
first car because they were crippled
and were entitled 70 all such privi-
leges, especially when in a crowd. In
valids couldn't stay out in the damp,
night air, which generally gets damp,
at the fair grounds, about IL o'clock.
And so on with interesting eteeteras.
Every man, woman and child in that
crowd had some particular reason for
getting in that first car that went to
the city. None of them could wait for
the second car, which went about a
half minute later, and occasionally got
to town ahead of the first car. II re-
quired large force of carmen to part
ly FIJI all cars leaving second, third
and fourth, but none to get the people
packed to suffocation in the first one,
and usually the smallest car.
Now, what did these people do after
they got off the car they piled into
in such a rush7 The men, as soon as
they struck the main streets, dropped
into quiet retreat and took "light
one" or a smoke. The women piled
off in the dark and went home, lighted
the lamp, sighed, "didn't that Mrs.
Green look awful in that thing she
had on" and pretty soon went to bed.
The young folks rode half way to
town, got off and walked the rest of
the way. Those who rode all the way
hung on long enough after they got
off to break the front gate down. The
cripples and invalids, they went home,
too. So much for the rush.
Now, considering what all these diff
ferent people did after they got home,
do you think the furious onslaught
warranted the fnish9 What a noble
thing it is to appear to be in a hurry,
to instill people with the idea that the
world is going to stop rolling around
itself if you happen to miss the first
car to town. Make people feel your
presence, as it were, and as you more
do in crowded car, than
when there is no crowd. In a car you
have all the best of it. The crowd
can't get away, and you know they
wouldn't get together again Just for
your benefit, so you must do your best.
Make them whisper among themselves,
Pretty work, isn't itf''
A lookeron at the mad, ungovern-
able rush for the first ear would imag-
inc the world was coming to an end,
or the election had gone Prohi and the
town was to close up about two sec
onds before the people could get in to
stock up. The risk of limb, and even |
life, so conspicuous on these occasions
counts for naught. The ambitious
crowd cant even wait until the fresh |
,ar stops, but must run mile or two |
lown the track and head it off. They |
Jump straddle of the headlight, on the
fender, and climb all over the motor
nan. BY the time the car gets within
sight of the fair grounds the thing is
already full, Those who get on after
The ear gets to the station and TO a
are known as the "trim.
nings." The blue book reporters do
al their fancy work before the ear
stops among the unwashed.
This is the American way of get |
ling on street cars, and it appears like
a rush only to the foreigners. We
never get in a hurry; we are the very |
essence of mannerisms, SO say the |
American public. Nearly every event |
which gets into American history was