The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1905-05-11
a Conductors Poke
Toriginal.l

as to why they can't pay their fare.
The truth is we are not permitted to
Judge in such matters, orders being
to collect all fares. The only case in
which l violated my instructions was
where | considered myself TO blame in
depriying a passenger Of his ticket.
/ was in charge OF the Chicago Linn
tied from New York at the time and
was going through the train punching
tickets when l came to a handsomely
dressed young man with a suit case
beside him plastored all owe with the
names of foreign hotels. 1t was mid
summer. and he was sleeping with the
window beside him open, a derby hat
pulled down over his eyes. We con-
ductors have to deal with SO many
people who pretend they don't hear us
when we call for tickets that instead
of asking a second time we poke them.
The young man referred TO seemed TO
be sleeping so soundly that I poked
him vigorously III the side. lie start
ed np az Il he had been shot, knock
ing his hat cut of the window. Plac-
ing bis hands to his side, he groaned.
Il beg pardon" / said. Il hope
didn't hurt you"
Hurt mele' ne said, almost %breathiess
with agony. you've nearly killed me.
I've an abscess on my liver" And he
groaned again.
"T'm sorry about your hat" I re
marked, hoping to draw his mind from
his su~1ferfngs.
HAT! What hat?"
"Didn't you notice that 1t went out
Of the window"
did 1t? ! don't carr anything about
a hat. I can buy one as soon as l have
the time. I5rt Pm afraid you've done
me up. Doctor told me to let him oper-
ate on my liver. promising If I didn't
that tie first thing l run my side
against might break the abscess and
kill me-"
The young man was 80 frightened
about himself that l began to feel TN
easy for fear | had done him serious
Injury. I stood leaning on the back Of
the seat looking down on him anxious
" till his sufferings seemed to moder-
ate, then asked again for his ticket.
"Oh, my ticket! If you'd have asked
me for 1t you might have had 1t long
ago. It's this COMPOUNDED poking you
conductors practice that l object to.
I'm going to report this matter to the
proper official of the road ana find out
IL something can't be done TO stop the
nuisance"
"I'll repair the damage" I replied,
"by getting you another hat at the first
stop"
Hat! What's a hat to me? 1t cost
ne a guinea in London only last week.
but do you suppose I'm thinking about
that? I'm worrying for my life"
Meanwhile he had taken out his peck
etbook, opened il, pulled out a ticket,
which proved to be a check Of some
sort, put 1t back, took out something
else, paused for a paroxysm of pain,
clapplng his hand ON his liver; shut up
his pocketbook, put It away and began
to search elsewhere for his ticket. Sud
denly he stopped hunting and exclain-
ed:
By thunder, l an in n fix!'
"yyliat's the matter nowT'
"Ticket and baggage checks all in the
lining Of my hat"
| sighed. Here was more blame for
me, consequent upon my poke.
Now, see here" pursued tie young
man angrlly and talking loud enough to
he heard al oyer the car. this 70 an
outrage. You not oaly ram your fist
into Inc, but knock ny hat oct OF the
window with my string of tickets all
the way TO Chicago, aud I've got moth
ing 10 show FOR rEy trunks"
More unpleasantneas for me. | could
pass him to the end Of my run, but
what would be do after that? However,
l braced up and said to him:
"Neyer mind your ticket"
| was about to move on when he
stopped me.
Il do mind my ticket or the loss of
1t, and 1 want you to fix me to chi
cago."
"Chicagog'
Certainly, Chicago. You've depriv-
ed me Of my tickets there, and / don't
propose to let you off without making
my loss good. I'm a lawyer, I ma, and
I'll begin suit, not against you; I'm not
SO stupid as that. but against the road.
It'll pay for the tickets, besides dam
ages and costs"
The question arose in my mind, Shall
/ get the company into 4 lawsuit, and
doubtless lose my position, or put the
a through: 1 decided on the latter
course. We conductors have ways of
doing things with our fellow conduct
ors, and / gave the passenger q line to
those who followed me which they
would understand. This seemed to
satisfy him. He stopped his loud
threats and went to sleep again. When
! turned the train over to my succes-
sor 1 babe the young man goodby, ex-
pressing a hope that be might suffer no
inconvenience as to his liver. He re-